FY2026 Starch Supply and Demand Outlook
Overview
Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries prepared a supply and demand outlook for starch for fiscal year 2026 to support appropriate price adjustment. Demand is projected at 2,374 thousand tonnes, up 1.9% or 44 thousand tonnes from the previous fiscal year. By use, demand is 1,642 thousand tonnes for saccharified products, 229 thousand tonnes for modified starch, and 502 thousand tonnes for other uses. Supply is shown for domestically produced potato starch, corn starch, imported starch, and wheat starch. The outlook is prepared twice a year for stakeholders.
Key points
- Demand for starch in fiscal year 2026 is projected at 2,374 thousand tonnes, up 1.9% from the previous fiscal year.
- By use, demand is 1,642 thousand tonnes for saccharified products, 229 thousand tonnes for modified starch, and 502 thousand tonnes for other uses.
- The supply outlook shows 2,053 thousand tonnes of corn starch.
Overview
Under the Act on Price Adjustment of Sugar and Starch (Act No. 109 of 1965), Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries prepares a supply and demand outlook twice a year to support appropriate price adjustment for starch.
The supply and demand outlook presents projected demand and supply and is intended to help producers, manufacturers, end users, and other stakeholders.
Details
The starch year runs from October 1 of the relevant year through September 30 of the following year. Fiscal year 2026 runs from October 2026 through September 2027, with projected demand of 766 thousand tonnes in the first half and 876 thousand tonnes in the second half.
Projected demand by use is 1,642 thousand tonnes for saccharified products (up 2.4% or 38 thousand tonnes year over year), 229 thousand tonnes for modified starch (unchanged from the previous year), and 502 thousand tonnes for other uses (up 1.0% or 5 thousand tonnes). Other uses include papermaking, beer production, and potato starch flour.
The fiscal year total supply outlook is 148 thousand tonnes of domestically produced potato starch, 2,053 thousand tonnes of corn starch, 147 thousand tonnes of imported starch for saccharified products and modified starch, 15 thousand tonnes of imported starch for other uses, and 14 thousand tonnes of wheat starch.
Saccharified products include isomerized sugar, glucose, and starch syrup. Modified starch is starch that has been physically, enzymatically, or chemically processed. Totals and component figures may not agree due to rounding.