The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to boosting large-scale local raw material production following high-level discussions with the Spanish Ambassador to Ghana and executives of GB Foods Africa.
The meeting, held at the Ministry in Accra on Monday, February 16, 2026, brought together Spain’s Ambassador to Ghana, Angel Lossada Torres-Quevedo, Chief Executive Officer of GB Foods Africa, Vicenç Bosch, and the company’s Director for Institutional Affairs & Agribusiness, Africa, J. Teddy Ngu, alongside officials from the Spanish Embassy.
Discussions centered on strengthening Ghana–Spain cooperation in agribusiness, particularly in tomato cultivation and processing, as part of efforts to enhance food security and reduce reliance on imports.
Ambassador Lossada Torres-Quevedo described GB Foods Africa as one of the most reliable agro-business companies operating across the continent, noting that its investments go beyond corporate gains to deliver socio-economic benefits for local communities.
“We are launching important work together regarding the agro-business industry,” he said, underscoring the company’s experience and long-standing commitment to sustainable partnerships in Africa.
For his part, CEO Vicenç Bosch reaffirmed the company’s long-term commitment to Ghana, where its flagship brand, Gino, has become a household name.
“For us, this is about developing the industry where we operate. It is not about importing; it is about building local capacity,” he stated.
Mr. Bosch revealed that the company has secured 6,000 acres of land in the Afram Plains for tomato cultivation more than three times the size of its existing farm in Nigeria, currently one of the largest tomato farms in the region. He explained that GB Foods has been piloting tomato farming and processing in Ghana over the past two years, with harvesting expected in the coming weeks.
According to him, while average tomato yields in parts of Central Africa range between five and ten tonnes per acre—compared to about 180 tonnes in China and 140 tonnes in Spain—the company has significantly improved yields in Nigeria to between 60 and 70 tonnes per acre. In Ghana, the first-year pilot achieved 20 tonnes per acre, with projections to double output to 40 tonnes in the second year.
Despite the promising outlook, Mr. Bosch highlighted the competitiveness challenge posed by low-cost tomato imports. He called for supportive policy measures, including quota arrangements similar to those adopted in countries such as Senegal and Nigeria, to enable local production to scale sustainably over a five-to-seven-year period.
“We have left all our pieces and now we are waiting for cooperation to make the next move,” he said, stressing the need for a collaborative policy framework that benefits the entire industry.
Responding to the proposals, Minister Ofosu-Adjare welcomed the investment, describing it as consistent with government’s broader agenda to strengthen agribusiness and ensure food security under the leadership of John Dramani Mahama.
She emphasized that local raw material production remains central to Ghana’s industrialisation drive.
“If you have the industry here but your raw material is somewhere you do not control, when there is a problem there, you suffer,” she noted. “We are committed to ensuring that raw materials are produced in Ghana so that food security can be assured.”
The Minister commended GB Foods Africa for maintaining high production standards and expanding its product range, including the local production of shito, a popular Ghanaian condiment. She also encouraged the company to share technical expertise with local farmers to improve productivity and quality across the agricultural value chain.
Assuring the delegation of continued engagement, she stressed that government is prepared to explore policy options that will facilitate the company’s expansion while ensuring a fair return on investment.
“It is easy to import. But when you invest in this country, it means you have come to scale. Government also has to perform its side of the bargain,” she added.
The meeting signals renewed momentum in Ghana–Spain economic cooperation and positions tomato cultivation and processing as a strategic pillar for industrial growth, job creation and strengthened food security.
