Core Viewpoint - The corn industry is a strategic pillar for China's food security, with significant growth in planting area, yield, and total production expected in 2024, despite short-term market adjustments due to international price fluctuations and rising costs [1][8][14]. Group 1: Industry Overview - The corn processing industry in China has developed a complete industrial chain, from primary processing to modern biobased material research, becoming a key hub for agricultural production and industrial manufacturing [1][5][14]. - Corn processing can be categorized into primary processing and deep processing, producing various products for food, feed, and industrial applications [2][3][5]. Group 2: Current Development Status - In 2024, China's corn planting area is projected to reach 44.74 million hectares, a year-on-year increase of 1.18%, with a yield of 439.4 kg/mu, contributing to a total production of 294.92 million tons, a 2.1% increase from the previous year [1][8][10]. - The total corn consumption in 2024 is expected to reach 31.78 million tons, with industrial consumption growing by 3.07% to 7.94 million tons, driven by innovations in deep processing [12][14]. Group 3: Market Trends - The corn deep processing market size is expected to adjust to 190 billion yuan in 2024, down 6.4% from its peak in 2022, but the long-term growth trend remains solid [1][14]. - The corn processing industry is transitioning towards green and low-carbon practices, focusing on high-value product development such as polylactic acid and functional sugars [24][25][26]. Group 4: Competitive Landscape - The corn deep processing industry in China has a tiered competitive structure, with leading companies like COFCO Technology and Meihua Biological occupying the top tier, focusing on high-value products [20][22]. - The market for corn starch is highly concentrated, with top companies holding over 44% market share, and there is a trend towards differentiation and expansion into biobased materials and other emerging fields [22][24].