AGRICULTURE
TERVIVA
Pongamia seed pods can be crushed to produce a high-quality cooking oil, or
ground to form a high-protein flour for use in a variety of food products.
While the flavonoids help deter insect or grazing damage to
the tree, they also have scared off wider use for food products.
Astwood said TerViva has developed a proprietary process to
remove the bitter compounds and is poised to supply a vast
new market for plant-based, organic protein products much in
demand in the 21st century.
Pongamia is a great drop-in crop in old citrus groves, McClure
noted. There’s no need to modify grove beds or irrigation systems.
McClure estimates pongamia should yield between 400 and
500 gallons of oil per acre — about 10 times that of crops of soy >>
TERVIVA
This orchard of mature pongamia trees was planted five years ago in a former
citrus grove in western St. Lucie County. Pongamia may be planted as a “plugin”
crop in old groves with very little modification needed to irrigation systems
or planting beds.
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