WHO WE ARE
ABOUT US
Silverlands is an internationally recognised, early-harvest table grape producer nestled in the Aussenkehr Valley. Situated alongside the Orange River, this green oasis in the heart of the Namibian desert is widely recognised as the jewel of table grape farming.
The perfect climatic conditions and rich alluvial soil In the Aussenkehr region allow us to produce the highest quality, early southern hemisphere grapes for both local and international markets.
Our close-knit team comprises nearly 1600 employees, making us one of the largest employers in Namibia and our emphasis on training, upskilling and development is a fundamental part of who we are. We’re constantly looking to improve the management of our vineyards and provide the surrounding community with job opportunities - as expansion of our current 485 hectares will result in increased job creation and improved local infrastructure.
History
The Orange River rises in Lesotho and flows 2,200Km to the Atlantic Ocean. Where it forms the border between Namibia and South Africa, the river drops continuously through spectacular mountains in this near-desert environment. There are only a handful of places along this stretch of river, where the hills broaden out into an area that can be cultivated, and the largest one is the Aussenkehr valley. As the westernmost of these scarce patches of land, its unique location provides ideal growing conditions for table grapes as well as blessing farmers in the valley with the first table grape harvest of the Southern Hemisphere. Our short and early harvest window in November/early December means that we can deliver grapes when there is a scarcity globally.
The valley started out as a small vegetable growing area until the first table grapes were planted in the 1980’s. Growers quickly realised how unusually early the harvest was and the optimal nature of the climate, with very low hail or frost risk. Silverlands has close to500 hectares of planted vineyards under management and is one of the largest growers in the valley. We continue to invest and are currently planning to develop more of our arable land in this extraordinary location.
OUR TEAM
Our team is composed of highly experienced and highly dedicated industry leaders with a history of producing export-grade table grapes.
All those involved in the process, from planting to harvesting, apply their full range of expertise to ensure that the grapes we produce are nothing short of exceptional.
Our team has a lifetime of experience in the farming of grape varieties and with our knowledge, we are always optimising how we produce the grapes to ensure that we remain a key player in the industry. Our international partnerships also allow us to have access to the latest varieties and we are working with the top breeders to ensure early harvest is always guaranteed.