Potato Starch set to experience growing demand as cereal prices soar

Potatoes, and ingredients derived from the crop, are set to experience growing demand as cereal prices continue to soar.

A spokesman at starch producer Avebe said both cereal and potato-based starches have become more expensive. "The rising cereal prices have forced us to increase potato prices as well in order to keep the farmers interested in growing potatoes," he told FoodNavigator.com.

However potato prices have not increased to the same extent as cereal prices, said Frank Goovaerts, director of Solanic. The company is also working on developing other higher value potato-derived ingredients such as enzymes.