9 hectares of olive trees were planted in 2007, namely Mission, Frantoio, Leccino and Coratino were the varieties we chose - a good mixture of South African and Italian cultivars. Our first harvest was in 2012. In 2017, the olive orchards will be extended by introducing two new varietals of Doncarlo and Nocellara del Belice to the farm.
“The potential for South Africa to have the best Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the world is there, because the climate is perfect. There is not much diseases like in Europe. Farming is organic and easily manageable” - Attilio Dalpiaz.
In order to ensure productivity, we take care in preparing our soil for planting, by clearing our land and replenishing our soils with plenty of chicken manure or organic material that will release nutrients into the soil. The soil composition on site is granite sand for the first 60-80cm, with clay, accompanied by Malmesbury Shale underneath, promoting coolness.
“The rule is a third green, a third black, and a third changing colour olives for the oil, then you have better balance” - Attilio Dalpiaz.
At Ayama, we take caution when hand harvesting our olives. We press our olives no more than an hour after harvesting, ensuring low acidity and lots of flavour.
Our Extra Virgin olive oil expresses a nutty and herbal taste, with aromas of artichokes on the nose. Our 0.18% free acidity olive oil is pressed immediately after picking, guaranteeing low acidity.
South Africans are learning more about the health advantages of using pure olive oil in their cuisine. As proudly Italian, we can say that this has been part of our healthy way of life for many years. This will add a new experience for our own farming community, as Attilio encourages our staff to grow their own vegetable gardens, and stresses the benefits of using healthy self-grown products.
Visit our shop and take a look at our exclusive range of olive oil which comes in different sizes.