# Starch and cellulose derivatives: Trading

Where starch prices are reported, and why few are public

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

What this tab covers How it is bought and sold: buyers and sellers, price benchmarks and who publishes them, exchanges, contract types, traders, how Indian buyers price it, recent price points, and good sources to follow.

#### Who buys, and where

- US, EU and China maize starch
- Thailand and Vietnam tapioca starch
- India maize starch

#### Who sells, and from where

- Food and beverage makers
- Paper and board mills
- Textile mills
- Pharma
- Fermentation plants

#### Price benchmarks

| Benchmark | Publisher | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| **none widely public for starch** | trade press; IMARC and ChemAnalyst (paid) | monthly |

#### Exchanges

| Venue | Contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **Dalian Commodity Exchange** | corn starch futures, 10 t (indicative) | China's starch futures; CBOT and Dalian maize futures used as hedges |

#### Contract types

- Annual and quarterly contracts with food and paper majors
- Spot sales to small users
- Formula pricing against maize for large buyers (indicative)

#### Traders and distributors

- Thai starch exporters; Indian exporters to Southeast Asia and the Middle East (indicative)

#### How Indian buyers price it

- Domestic prices follow Indian maize mandi prices and ethanol demand
- Exports priced against Thai tapioca and Chinese maize starch

#### Recent price points

| Date | Price | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2025 | **RMB 2,123-2,263/t** | China maize (feedstock) | Faxian Gongchang 2026 |
| 2024 | **about $250/t** | China import unit value of cassava roots and chips (feedstock) | UN Comtrade via cassava tile |

#### Good sources to follow
[World Bank Commodity Markets (Pink Sheet)](https://www.worldbank.org/en/research/commodity-markets)free research site · World Bank Prospects Group

Monthly maize price
[Indian Chemical News](https://www.indianchemicalnews.com)free newsletter · Indian Chemical News

Indian chemical and starch company news
[Chem in Digest](https://chemindigest.com)free newsletter · Chem in Digest

Indian chemical industry news including bio-based projects
[farmdoc daily](https://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/)free blog · University of Illinois

US maize markets that set starch costs

## 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)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/starch_derivatives/cycles/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)