Starch and cellulose derivatives: Production
India's starch belt and the world's biggest millers
India's starch belt and the world's biggest millers What this tab covers Who makes it and how much: world capacity and output, utilisation, the top producing countries and companies globally and in India, concentration, new capacity coming, and each region's position.| Measure | Figure | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| World capacity | India 5.8-6.5 Mt/yr installed starch capacity; world capacity not published | Sanstar DRHP industry data via MoneyWorks4Me IPO review (2024) | |
| World output | maize starch and derivatives about 84.5 Mt (2023); India native maize starch 4.87 Mt (2023) | Sanstar DRHP industry data via MoneyWorks4Me IPO review (2024) | |
| Capacity utilisation | India about 75-84% (derived: 4.87 Mt output on 5.8-6.5 Mt capacity, 2023) | Maize-price spikes from ethanol diversion squeeze Indian starch margins (Mordor via GII). | Sanstar DRHP industry data via MoneyWorks4Me IPO review (2024); derived |
| Concentration | company shares not published; a few multinationals lead outside China | Cargill, ADM, Ingredion, Roquette and Tereos are the main global players; China and Thailand are fragmented (indicative). | Mordor via GII (players list); indicative |
| New capacity | Gujarat Ambuja 120 kt/yr sodium gluconate by 2028; Indian capacity additions by Sanstar and others (indicative) | Indian starch makers are moving downstream into fermentation products and specialty starches. | Business Standard Dec 2025; indicative |
Top producing countries
- United States: large wet-milling base (Cargill, ADM, Ingredion, Tate & Lyle/Primient); over a third of US maize goes to ethanol (maize tile)
- China: largest maize starch producer; north-east processors turn maize into starch, sweeteners and amino acids (maize tile)
- European Union: maize, wheat and potato starch (Roquette, Tereos, Cargill, Avebe)
- Thailand: largest tapioca starch exporter (cassava tile)
- India: 4.87 Mt native maize starch (2023); 5.8-6.5 Mt capacity; 14.3% of world maize starch exports (2022)
Largest producers: global
| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cargill private; global starch and sweeteners | US | not published | n/a | Mordor via GII (key companies) |
| Archer Daniels Midland | US | not published | n/a | Mordor via GII |
| Ingredion specialty and texturising starches; India operations (indicative) | US | not published | n/a | Mordor via GII |
| Roquette family-owned; Roquette India (indicative) | France | not published | n/a | Mordor via GII |
| Tereos (Syral) cooperative; sugar, starch and ethanol | France | not published | n/a | Mordor via GII |
| Tate & Lyle specialty food ingredients; sold most bulk starch business to Primient (indicative) | UK | not published | n/a | Mordor via GII |
| Avebe potato starch cooperative | Netherlands | not published | n/a | Mordor via GII |
| Dow, Shin-Etsu, Ashland, Nouryon main cellulose ether and CMC producers (indicative) | US, Japan, US, Netherlands | not published | n/a | indicative |
Largest producers: India
| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gujarat Ambuja Exports Hubli sodium gluconate plant 30 kt/yr from 19 Dec 2025, 120 kt/yr planned by 2028; quarterly revenue Rs 1,486.69 crore (Jul-Sep 2025) | India | not published | 2025 | Business Standard, Dec 2025 |
| Sanstar India's fifth-largest maize specialty products maker | India | 363 kt/yr maize processing (1,100 t/day) | 2024 | Sanstar DRHP industry data via MoneyWorks4Me IPO review (2024) |
| Sukhjit Starch & Chemicals Punjab-based; capacity not verified | India | not published | n/a | Mordor via GII; Sanstar DRHP competitor list |
| Sahyadri Starch & Industries Maharashtra-based; capacity not verified | India | not published | n/a | Mordor via GII |
| Roquette India, Universal Starch Chem, Tirupati Starch, Gulshan Polyols capacities not verified | India | not published | n/a | Mordor via GII; Sanstar DRHP |
India is self-sufficient in starch and a net exporter: about 478 kt of maize starch exports in 2022, 14.3% of the world (Sanstar DRHP data). Maize supplies 62.05% of Indian starch (Mordor). The risk is maize competition from ethanol: maize supplied about half of India's 10.39 billion litres of ethanol in 2024-25 (maize tile).
Position by region
| Region | Position |
|---|---|
| US | Large wet-milling base; competes with ethanol for maize. |
| EU | Maize, wheat and potato starch; EU sugar and starch policy shaped capacity (indicative). |
| India | Net exporter; maize prices pushed up by ethanol diversion. |
| China | Largest producer; also the main importer of Thai cassava starch and chips (cassava tile). |
| Japan | Imports maize for domestic wet milling (indicative). |
| Middle East | Small; imports starch. |