淀粉是葡萄糖分子聚合而成的，可以制造食糖、酒精、味精以及啤酒、面包、粉丝、酱料等多种产品。近年来，我国淀粉市场总体处于净进口状态，且进口量呈逐步增加的特点。据海关信息网（www.haiguan.info）统计，今年前10个月，我国淀粉累计进口157.4万吨，比2013年同期（下同）增长46.36%；进口价值7.02亿美元，增长34.55 %；进口均价为每千克0.45 美元，下降8.07 %。
2014年前10个月淀粉进口主要特点
（一）进口量值同比皆增长
2014年前10个月，我国淀粉进口呈增长态势，其中1月份进口量达到22.18万吨，金额1.04亿美元，10月当月进口18.31万吨，增长25.45 %，连续第14个月同比增长。
（二）进口淀粉基本为木薯淀粉
2014年前10个月，我国进口木薯淀粉153.96 万吨，占比97.82%，进口额6.74亿美元，占比95.95%。随着中国经济快速发展，淀粉产业发展迅猛，对木薯淀粉的需求量大幅增加，然而国内的种植面积和产量增长空间有限，需要大量依靠国外进口来维持生产。
（三）泰国淀粉进口量值占八成
2014年前10个月，我国自泰国、越南、印尼三个淀粉主要来源地的进口量共计152.87万吨，占比97.12%；进口额6.69亿美元，占比95.31%。其中，泰国以127.6万吨的进口量和5.62亿美元的进口额，稳居我国淀粉进口第一大来源国的位置。
（四）外商投资企业与民营企业为进口主体，进口量占八成以上
（五）一般贸易为主要进口贸易方式（中国进出口网）
Starch is polymerized glucose molecule, which can be produced into sugar, alcohol, monosodium glutamate as well as beer, bread, bean vermicelli, sauces and other products. In recent years, China is a net importer of starch, and the imports also gradually increase. According to the Customs Information Network (www.haiguan.info) statistics, in the first 10 months of 2014, China imported a total of 1.574 million tons of starch, an increase of 46.36% over the same period in 2013 (the same below); imports value $702 million, an increase of 34.55%; imports average price $0.45 per kg, down 8.07 %.
In the first 10 months of 2014 main features of starch imports
(A)imports increase over the same period
In the first 10 months of 2014, China's imports of starch showed a rising trend, in January imports reached 221,800 tons, with the amount of $104 million. In October imports 183,100 tons, an increase of 25.45%, the 14th consecutive month of year on year growth.
(B) main import starch is tapioca
In the first 10 months of 2014, China imported 1,539,600 tons of tapioca starch, accounting for 97.82%, imports value $674 million, accounting for 95.95%. With China's rapid economic development, the starch industry is developing rapidly, and the demand for cassava starch is substantially increasing, due to the limited domestic acreage and yield growth, large amount of import starch is needed to maintain production.
(C) eighty percent starch imported from Thailand
In the first 10 months of 2014, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the three main sources of starch imports country totaled 1,528,700 tons, accounting for 97.12%; imports of $669 million, accounting for 95.31%. Among them, imports from Thailand reached 1.276 million tons, with a import value of $562 million, ranking first among the countries which China imports starch from.
(D) foreign-invested enterprises and private enterprises as the main import, imports accounting for more than eighty percent
(E) general trade as the main import trade
