India’s Dr Bio turns corn starch into compostable polymer as Middle East crisis shakes plastic supply chains

INDIA – Indian company Dr Bio has developed a cornstarch-based biopolymer platform designed to significantly reduce dependence on imported fossil-fuel-derived raw materials, responding directly to recent fluctuations in international crude markets since the escalation of Middle East tensions.

The Ludhiana-based manufacturer, operating under Hi-Tech International, produces Dr Bio polymers using a proprietary Farm-to-Polymer model that secures corn starch supplies through direct agreements with farmers.

The biopolymer is certified under ISO 17088 and IS 17088 standards, with testing confirming complete disintegration during composting and no adverse effects on plant growth.

India generates approximately 9.46 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with 40 percent remaining uncollected and 43 percent used for packaging applications.

Why This Matters for Packaging

The timing of Dr Bio’s market push is strategic. Global oil price volatility has made fossil-fuel-derived plastics increasingly expensive, narrowing the cost gap with bio-based alternatives.

The Indian bioplastics market is projected to grow from US$546.6 million in 2025 to US$2.6 billion by 2034, at a compound annual growth rate of 18.71 percent.

Biodegradable food service disposables alone reached US$56.5 million in 2025 and are expected to hit US$90.1 million by 2034.

Dr Bio polymers are 2.5 times costlier than conventional plastics on a per-kilogram basis, but the company argues that lower micron requirements offset this difference.

A 50-micron conventional plastic bag holds approximately two kilograms, while a 20-micron Dr Bio bag can hold up to five kilograms.

The biopolymer disintegrates within 12 weeks and fully biodegrades within six months, leaving no heavy metals or harmful residues.

Production and Market Reach

Hi-Tech International operates a 200,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Punjab under the Invest Punjab program, with an annual film manufacturing capacity of 12,000 metric tonnes and a global team of 1,150 employees.

company has manufacturing plants in India, the United States, and Mexico, with a presence in 45 countries.

The biopolymer can be processed on conventional extrusion equipment without any machinery upgrades.

Applications include film extrusion, injection molding, rigid plastics, straws, and paper-like films. The company is actively pitching to e-commerce firms for mailer compostable bags and to fast-food restaurants for disposable cutlery.

When Corn Replaces Crude

Dr Bio’s platform demonstrates that renewable feedstocks can substitute fossil fuels in packaging production.

With bioplastics currently accounting for only about 1 percent of the over 360 million tonnes of plastics produced annually but growing at 20-30 percent per year, the trajectory is clear.

As Middle East tensions keep oil markets volatile, India’s corn fields may offer a more stable, and compostable, path forward for packaging.

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