As of June 2026, the global market for potato flour and starch feedstock is undergoing the most dramatic price realignment in nearly a decade. From the price trough during last year’s fall harvest through the panic buying triggered by expectations of spring drought earlier this year, to the current extreme shortage of spot supplies caused by major manufacturers securing large orders in rapid succession, ex-factory prices for potato flour have now firmly stabilized at 12,000 yuan per metric ton the price center.
This report provides a comprehensive overview of the full price trend for wheat flour over the past 12 months (July 2025 – June 2026) and offers a forward-looking analysis of how “capital-intensive mills at the source” can help major downstream customers mitigate the risk of sharp spikes in spot prices ahead of the fall harvest in the second half of the year.
I. The Impact of Climate Anomalies on Sweet Potato Yields
From January to April of this year, the following events occurred successively in the core production areas of Northwest China:Off-season drought. Although the widespread harvest of sweet potatoes won’t occur until the fall, insufficient soil moisture in the spring has already triggered early warnings of a production shortfall in the bulk trade market. Inquiries from several major food ingredient platforms surged in the second quarter, and ex-factory prices for spot bulk orders have consequently risen to the current level of 13,400 yuan per metric ton High level.
The period before the fall sweet potato harvest (July–August) is often a critical time when supplies of bulk raw materials are in short supply. As last fall’s spot inventory has been depleted, spot procurement costs are highly likely to surge further over the next two months, making it imperative for food manufacturers to secure their supply by placing large-volume, long-term orders mid-year.
II. The Supply-Demand Imbalance Caused by the Expansion of the Downstream Snack Food Market
As 2026 began, production lines for expanded capacity in domestic markets—such as composite potato chips and grain-free pet food—entered a period of intensive production, leading to a year-over-year increase of nearly 22% in procurement demand for high-quality potato starch on the bulk market.
This short-term imbalance between supply and demand was particularly evident in June: since the inventories of high-quality whole meal flour at most major mills had already been locked into long-term contracts for the first half of the year, ownership of the goods in the spot market is now highly fragmented, and small and medium-sized buyers—who lack control over the supply source—are forced to face the dilemma of extremely high price premiums.
III. Why Are Large Enterprises Firmly Pushing Ahead with “Long-Term Price Lock-In Agreements” Mid-Year?”
| Dimensions of Comparison | Spot Purchasing Model | Long-Term Price-Locked Contract Model with Source Factories (Recommended) |
|---|---|---|
| Risk Resilience in the Second Half of the Year | It’s very easy to run into the “sky-high price period” in July and August, when supplies are tight.” | Lock in the average factory price for the H2 in advance—keep your budget completely under control |
| Risk of Material Shortage | When the market is tight, “there’s money but no goods” | Major manufacturers have the highest production priority and never run out of stock. |
| Batch Consistency | There are many mixed-lot spot shipments, and the physical and chemical specifications are extremely inconsistent. | Directly sourced from a single region; no need to adjust processing parameters |
IV. Junsheng’s 100,000-metric-ton Temperature-Controlled Warehouse: How Can It Help You Keep Your Procurement Costs in Check in the Second Half of the Year?
The key reason Junsheng Technology is able to remain steadfast in ensuring a stable supply of low-priced potatoes to our strategic contract customers—even amid the current high-price environment—lies in our **100,000-metric-ton smart, temperature-controlled potato storage facility**.
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Cross-seasonal stockpiling to lock in raw grain costs in advance
As shown in the chart above, we stockpiled massive quantities at the price bottom of 11,300 yuan at the end of last year. Through precise microcomputer-controlled temperature regulation at 7–10°C, we have extended the peak freshness of the raw potatoes into this year. This means that before the new season’s fresh sweet potatoes hit the market in the second half of the year, Junsheng will still have ample high-quality, affordably priced inventory to ensure a steady supply for our customers.
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Capital-intensive, in-house production lines; we refuse to mark up prices for contract manufacturing
From warehousing, washing, and steaming to single-cylinder drum drying, the entire 100% production chain is manufactured in-house, completely eliminating profit commissions associated with contract manufacturing. This gives Junsheng absolute control over pricing.
A leading bakery chain signed an annual procurement framework agreement with Junsheng earlier this year for 1,000 metric tons, locking in the upper limit for procurement prices in the first half of the year at 12,800 yuan per metric ton. With the spot market price in June currently approaching a peak of 13,400 yuan, the company has actually saved 600 yuan The net cost completely shielded the company from the impact of this mid-year fluctuation in bulk raw material prices.
Summary: In the bulk ingredients market, true peace of mind comes only from the solid capabilities at the foundation of the supply chain. While the outlook for the second half of the year remains uncertain, use long-term contracts with reliable major manufacturers as a source of certainty to weather market volatility.
