Middle East And Africa Corn Starch Market

Middle East and Africa Corn Starch Market Size

The size of the Middle East & Africa corn starch Market was valued at USD 1.39 billion in 2025. The regional market is anticipated to be worth USD 1.48 billion in 2026 and USD 2.46 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 6.58% from 2026 to 2034.

Starch is a naturally occurring substance found in various plant parts like seeds and roots.  It can be derived from potato, rice, wheat and cassava. Corn is currently the most commonly used, accounting for around 80% of the total global starch production. Corn starch is obtained from the endosperm of the corn kernel. It is used for many culinary, household, and industrial purposes. In the kitchen, cornstarch is regularly used as a thickening agent for sauces, gravies, glazes, casseroles, pies, soups, and other desserts. It is also used in making corn syrup and bioplastics. Corn starch is a gluten-free product that only includes carbohydrates.

MARKET DRIVERS

With people consuming more and more ready-to-eat food items, the demand for corn starch has risen over the years. An increased yield of genetically modified corn has resulted in a high output of maize. As a result, there is an assured supply of corn starch made available to food industries. Tapioca and Cassava are some of the corn substitutes that are being used nowadays, restricting the growth of the corn starch market in the years to come. There has been an increase in the use of cassava in the past few years.

SEGMENTAL ANALYSIS

By Product Type Insights

On the basis of product type, the sweeteners segment accounted for 50.2% of the share in the Middle East and African corn starch market in 2023. On the other hand, the modified starch segment is expected to grow at a significant rate in the next few years.

By Application Insights

On the basis of application, the food and beverages segment is the major segment of the regional market and is likely to continue to lead the regional market throughout the forecast period.

REGIONAL ANALYSIS

The United Arab Emirates contributes significantly to the market due to the rising population and increased urbanization.

KEY MARKET PLAYERS 

Cargill Incorporated, Grain Processing Corporation, Croda International, Akzo Nobel NV, Bayer AG, Ajinomoto Company Incorporated, Henkel KGaA, Associated British Foods plc, Calpis Company, Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, DuPont (EI) de Nemours, BASF, Minnesota Corn Processors LLC, Monsanto Company, Cognis Corporation, Cerestar USA Incorporated, and Novo Nordisk A/S are a few of the major players in the Middle East and African corn starch market.

MARKET SEGMENTATION

This research report on the Middle East and Africa corn starch market is segmented and sub-segmented into the following categories.

By Product

• Native Starch
• Modified Starch
• Sweeteners

By Application

• Food and Beverages
• Animal feed
• Pharmaceuticals and chemicals
• Textile
• Paper and Corrugates
• Others

By Region 

• KSA
• UAE
• Israel
• rest of GCC countries
• South Africa
• Ethiopia
• Kenya
• Egypt
• Sudan
• Rest of MEA