Russian native starch output rises 0.9% in first half of 2026
Russia produced 213,980 tonnes of native starch in the first half of 2026, up 0.9% year on year. Strong growth in potato starch and exports offset declines in wheat starch, modified starches and sweeteners.
Native starch production reaches 213,980 tonnes
Russia produced 213,980 tonnes of native corn, wheat and potato starch in the first half of 2026, according to the Association of Advanced Grain Processing Enterprises, Soyuzkrakhmal, as reported by Zol.ru. Output increased by 0.9% from 212,000 tonnes in the same period of 2025, indicating broadly stable demand but limited overall expansion.
Corn starch remained the largest segment, with production rising by 0.7% to 181,770 tonnes from 180,540 tonnes a year earlier. Potato starch recorded the fastest growth: output increased by 16.9% to 14,750 tonnes from 12,620 tonnes. Wheat starch moved in the opposite direction, falling by 7.4% to 17,470 tonnes from 18,870 tonnes. Soyuzkrakhmal attributed the decline to higher production costs and the smaller number of companies active in this market.
Exports become the main route for further growth
Soyuzkrakhmal said the domestic market continued to show low production growth and that further expansion would depend primarily on export opportunities. Demand remains stable, while producers are increasing shipments and entering new markets, according to the association.
Agroexport previously reported that Russian corn starch exports rose 1.7-fold in the first half of 2026 to 27,000 tonnes. This was equivalent to almost 15% of domestic corn starch production during the period, based on the reported output and export figures. The comparison suggests that foreign sales are already an important outlet for the dominant segment of Russia’s native starch industry.
Other grain-processing products delivered mixed results. Wheat gluten production increased by 2.3% to 40,200 tonnes, while corn gluten output rose by 2.4% to 27,880 tonnes. Combined gluten production reached 68,080 tonnes, compared with 66,540 tonnes in the first half of 2025. Corn oil output grew by 11.1% to 15,360 tonnes, representing about 58% of the 26,540 tonnes produced during all of 2025. Soyuzkrakhmal said this reflected corn-processing capacity utilization and the industry’s growing reliance on extracting value from every grain fraction.
Industrial demand and regulation weigh on derivatives
Production of modified starches fell by 6.1% to 52,370 tonnes from 55,790 tonnes. The association linked the decline to lower output of products used by the oil and gas industry to control filtration in drilling fluids and stabilize process fluids during well construction and major repairs. Dextrin production dropped more sharply, to 182 tonnes from 1,519 tonnes, because of weaker demand from pulp and paper companies.
Output of starch syrup, including glucose syrups, declined by 2.4% to 310,000 tonnes from 317,760 tonnes. Soyuzkrakhmal cautioned that the product is seasonal, with peak production occurring near the end of the third quarter and during the fourth quarter. Glucose-fructose syrup production fell by 14.8% to 118,620 tonnes from 139,270 tonnes. The association said the excise duty on sugar-containing beverages continued to influence purchasing patterns among beverage producers. Maltodextrin output also decreased by 6.2% to 28,060 tonnes.
Lysine sulfate recorded the largest reported contraction among the major products, falling by 28.2% to 54,600 tonnes from 76,030 tonnes. Soyuzkrakhmal attributed this to an energy shortage in the Belgorod region that limited stable operation of production lines. The first-half figures therefore show a processing industry with modest growth in core native starch, stronger export activity and rising utilization of corn by-products, but pronounced weakness in several higher-processed and industrial-demand categories.
