Turn those corn husks into big money

Don’t throw away corn husks. Instead, make big money out of this usually regarded farm waste.

This advice comes from the Corn Husk Association of the Philippines (CHAP).

Founded in General Santos City (Mindanao) on Feb. 17, 2003, CHAP has been conducting studies on the many uses of the balat ng mais.

Consider: It can be made into twine, corn mache, dolls, artificial flowers, home and Christmas decors, apparel, bags, slippers, table organizers, wedding giveaways, placemats, baskets, and fashion accessories.

Or did you know that a gown that won an award in the Philippine Fashion Design Competition 2005 was made of, among other materials, corn husk?

The same gown, created by Emi Alexander Englis of General Santos City, a CHAP member and instructor at the Philippine Women’s University (PWU), was also entered in the International Competition of Young Fashion Designers held last Dec. 15 in Paris, France.

Englis’ creation was made of five sacks of corn husks, 1,650 pieces of canned soda tabs, 8,000 pieces of ringlet fastenings, 200 pieces of reblown bubblets from busted fluorescent lamps, woven cotton, an abaca fabrics.

Rue Rivera-Ramas, an agribusinesswoman who founded CHAP, said the unique association aims to augment the livelihood of farmfolk using corn husks, as well as other parts such as tassel, corn silk, stalks, and roots.

Ramas, a UP Diliman alumna, said CHAP now has about 18,000 trained crafters nationwide, particularly in Regions 1, 2, 3, and 4 (all in Luzon) and Regions 10, 11, and 12, all in Mindanao. It has 22 affiliated chapters.

Last Jan. 26, Ramas told this writer in a telephone interview, a Corn Husk Business Center was opened in General Santos City with Agriculture Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban as special guest.

Supported by the DA program and National Corn Research, Development, and Extension Network (NCRDEN) headed by Dr. Art Salazar, the center has training facilities, one-stop shop for crafting suppliers, and showrooms for products and foreign and domestic sales.

"The corn husk industry is strong in corn-producing areas such as Regions 10, 11, and 12," said Ramas, who has spent years in research work on corn, particularly husk.

Best producers so far are those in Region 12 (Central Mindanao) owing to its proximity to General Santos City, the hub of the corn husk industry.

"We… are optimistic that 2006 will concentrate on intensive training nationwide through the support of the DA Corn Program," she projected.

Ramas added: "In 2007, we will have a more stable market. Targets in 2007 are to establish a satellite corn husk center for Luzon based in Pangasinan, and business outlets in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu."

The NCRDEN also averred: "Corn husk has many potentials and will surely be known worldwide." – RAF