Starch-based Plastics Market

Starch Polymer Market Analysis

The Starch Polymer Market is expected to register a CAGR of 5% during the forecast period.

• The starch polymer market is expected to grow during the forecast period, owing to the increasing demand from the packaging industry.
• The Asia-Pacific region is expected to dominate the market across the world, with the largest consumption from countries, such as China, India, and Japan.

Starch Polymer Market Trends

Increasing Demand from the Packaging Industry

• Starch-based polymers are widely used in the packaging industry, owing to its bio-degradable characteristics, and the market is expected to grow rapidly during the forecast period.
• Starch is naturally obtained from stable foods, like potatoes, wheat, corn, and rice, consisting of several glucose units linked by glycosidic bonds.
• Starch is mainly used in the manufacturing of biodegradable polymers by combining starch with synthetic polymers. For a polymer to be bio-degradable, the end-product should contain more than 60% of starch. By varying the starch content, the obtained product can either durable or biodegradable.
• Starch blended with polyesters produces starch bioplastics, which have similar properties to that of LDPE (low-density polyethylene). These bio-degradable starch polymers are used for sustainable packaging for medical, cosmetics, food, shopping bags, and electronic goods, as well as in logistics and agriculture, owing to its eco-friendly characteristics.
• The increase in demand for bio-degradable packaging in the packaging industry, owing to stringent environmental regulations, is expected to drive the market during the forecast period.

The Asia-Pacific Region to Dominate the Market

• The Asia-Pacific region is expected to dominate the market for starch polymer during the forecast period, as a result of the increase in the demand from the packaging industry in countries, like India and China.
• The starch polymer as an elastomer is widely used in the packaging and textile industries. The growing demand for e-commerce in China is expected to drive the market for starch polymers during the forecast period.
• China's e-commerce market is dominated by Alibaba, whose market share is around 59%. The company's annual revenue in FY 2019 has seen 51% year-on-year growth and the growing e-commerce industry requires packaging solutions, and this is expected to drive the market during the forecast period.
• The Indian e-commerce industry is expected to reach USD 120 billion by 2020. The increase in penetration of the internet and the change in government policies allowing 100% foreign direct investments in the e-commerce sector are expected to boost the market
• The aforementioned factors, coupled with government support, are contributing to the increasing demand for starch polymer in the Asia-Pacific region during the forecast period.

Starch Polymer Industry Overview

The global starch polymer market is partially fragmented with players accounting for a marginal share of the market. Few companies include Novamont SpA, Rodenburg Biopolymers, JAPAN CORN STARCH CO. LTD, United Biopolymers SA, and Plantic.

Starch Polymer Market Leaders