Oranges for Beans

Orange trees are the reason I was born in Florida

My dad told me the story about his first trip to Florida. Growing up in Scranton Pennsylvania during the 40’s and 50’s was tough. Scranton was an energy town. It boomed from coal sales. But after the World War II, oil and natural gas began to cut into coal’s prominence as a heating fuel. 

Declining coal sales hammered the Scranton economy. Families, including my dad’s, had to find other ways to make ends meet. His was a large family. One day, dad figured one less mouth to feed would help. That’s when he took off and headed south. He stuck out his thumb and hitched rides all the way to Florida.

Sunny Florida

Compared to Scranton, Florida was paradise. The weather was warm, and the sun was bright. It was a stark contrast to the gray days in eastern Pennsylvania. Best of all, oranges were everywhere. You could just walk up to a tree and pick a ripe, fresh orange anytime.

Florida’s citrus industry began back in the 16th century. Ponce de Leon planted the first orange trees near St. Augustine in northeastern Florida. British began producing commercial citrus in the state in 1821. State production peaked in the early 2000’s around three hundred million boxes of citrus.

Dad wandered around in the warm sun, eating oranges and enjoying life. Then the authorities picked him up and sent back home to his very worried parents. 

But the thought of Florida and those oranges never left.

Fortunately, dad was a gifted swimmer. After graduating from Scranton High, he had a few swimming scholarships offers. However, only one school would do…the University of Miami.

Today is Different

Fast forward to today, and Florida is a different place. My dad’s Florida is gone. The citrus industry, once the cornerstone of the state’s economy, is in rapid decline. In 2023, the state produced just twenty million boxes of citrus, a 93% decline from its peak.

Florida used to supply much of the nation’s oranges, grapefruits, and other citrus fruits. For decades, generations of Floridians depended on citrus farming. The vast citrus plantations that once covered nearly a million acres of the state fell to just 340,000 acres in 2022.

Over the past twenty years, Florida’s citrus empire has faced an unprecedented decline due to diseases, hurricanes, decreased consumer demand, import competition, and water availability. 

Enter an ancient tree from India

Florida citrus farmers may have found a savior. The pongamia tree, a climate-resilient species of tree from India. The tree produces bitter beans that can be used for plant-based proteins and sustainable biofuel This tree is now thriving in groves where citrus trees once flourished. And this tree has the potential to be a new source of renewable energy. 

What is the pongamia tree?

Traditionally used as shade trees, pongamia produce fragrant flowers and small beans. Unlike the orange and grapefruit trees that once dominate these groves, pongamia trees require minimal maintenance. They thrive without the need for fertilizer or pesticides. And can withstand both drought and heavy rainfall. 

The pongamia tree is native to India, Australia, eastern Asia, and the Pacific islands. Pongamia are exceptionally resilient. The tree is drought-tolerant, capable of withstanding droughts and saturated conditions. The trees have an extensive network of lateral roots, which make it sturdy in storm conditions.

Its broad, glossy leaves and fragrant white or pink flowers add to its appeal as a multipurpose tree. The flowers are an important source of pollen for honeybees in its native range.

The trees produce beans in pods in the summer. Harvesting the beans is simple and efficient. They use a machine that shakes the beans out of the tree when they are ready. The beans yield a thick, reddish-brown oil that has many uses. The leftover bean cakes (presscake) after oil pressing work well as a pesticide and as a fertilizer.

It is one of the few trees that fixes nitrogen in soil. The presscake and leaves make excellent fertilizer. The tree doesn’t inhibit grass growth, so the plantations can also be pastures. 

These qualities make the Pongamia an important tree from an agricultural aspect.

An Innovative Agri-Tech Company

Terviva, is an innovative agri-tech company making significant strides with the cultivation of pongamia trees. The company’s mission is “to transform agriculture by promoting resilient and sustainable crops. The company uses the pongamia tree to provide renewable energy, enhance soil health, and support farmers in distressed agricultural regions.

In Florida, Terviva collaborates with local landowners to convert abandoned and underutilized citrus groves into productive pongamia plantations.

Through its Panova brand, Terviva now uses the pongamia bean to produce a range of products, including culinary oil, plant protein, and flour. These ingredients are featured in Aloha’s Konaprotein bars.

One of the most exciting prospects of pongamia is its potential as a source of biofuel. Pongamia beans contain approximately 30-40% oil. This oil can be used in making biodiesel. The high oil content made the cultivation of pongamia trees a productive enterprise in other countries. 

Terviva struck a deal with Mitsubishi in December 2023. Through this partnership, Terviva and Mitsubishi will supply crude pongamia oil to the market as a biofuel feedstock. 

I’ll Miss Those Oranges

I certainly have mixed feelings. Growing up in Florida, oranges were a staple. You had fresh squeezed “OJ” on the breakfast table whenever you wanted it. There is nothing better than pulling over on the side of the road with all the windows down when the orange trees are in bloom. It’s a smell every Floridian knows well.

That’s why it’s sad to see Florida’s citrus industry in decline. Even the navel orange tree in my backyard has fallen victim to canker. I used to get a few bushels of oranges a season. Now I don’t get any.

I hope Florida’s citrus industry can survive. If not, it is exciting to see innovation like Terviva help fill the void. The pongamia tree stands out as a particularly promising candidate. Someday Florida will need to change its state fruit and its state flower from the Orange to the Pongamia.
For the good

Michael Nichols

Numbers You Need to Know

1949

Since 1949, travelers entering Florida along the major thoroughfares have been greeted at the Welcome Centers with free cup of Florida citrus juice. (Visit Florida)

8 Million

A fossil specimen from Lincang in Yunnan, China has traits that are characteristic of current major citrus groups, and provides evidence for the existence of a common Citrus ancestor within the Yunnan province approximately 8 million years ago. (Origins of Oranges)

34 Billion

Global revenue of the Orange Juice market amounts to US$34 billion. (Statista)

What’s New in Sustainable Investing

Republican challenge to ESG investing rule could showcase risk to US agency powers

A challenge to a Biden administration rule allowing socially conscious investing by employee retirement plans will present an early test of how courts will scrutinize federal regulations after the U.S. Supreme Court said they no longer have to defer to the expertise of the agencies that issued them. (Reuters)

It’s Time to Change How ESG Is Measured

Estimates suggest ESG investing could surpass $50 trillion by 2025, as investors around the world look for opportunities for their investment capital to have a broader social impact. (Harvard Business Review)

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