# Starch and cellulose derivatives: Production

India's starch belt and the world's biggest millers

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/production/

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)
 maize tile; indicative; indicative; cassava tile; Sanstar DRHP industry data via MoneyWorks4Me IPO review (2024)

#### 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](https://www.business-standard.com/amp/markets/news/gujarat-ambuja-shares-rise-5pc-after-commissioning-maize-fermentation-plant-125121900598_1.html) |
| **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)](https://www.moneyworks4me.com/investmentshastra/sanstar-ipo-review/) |
| **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. |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/routes/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/links/index.md)