GB Foods Africa secures 2,428 hectares in Ghana to expand tomato paste production
Ghana imported an average 54,361 tonnes of tomato puree annually between 2020 and 2024
GHANA – Spanish food company GB Foods Africa has obtained a concession of nearly 2,428 hectares in Ghana’s Afram Plains in the Eastern Region for the cultivation and processing of tomatoes to supply its local manufacturing operations.
The allocation was confirmed in a February 17 statement issued by Ghana’s Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, which indicated that the land will be used to grow tomatoes destined for GB Foods Ghana, the group’s subsidiary operating in the country.
As part of this development, the company is preparing to establish one of its largest agricultural sites in West Africa to secure raw material supplies for its tomato paste production.
Although the financial outlay and operational framework for the farming project were not disclosed, the move signals an intention to increase domestic sourcing and reduce dependence on imported inputs for processed tomato products.
This expansion follows the commissioning of a US$5 million processing facility in Tema in 2023, where the company manufactures and distributes its tomato paste brands Gino and Pomo for the Ghanaian market.
According to Vicenç Bosch, Chief Executive Officer of GB Foods Africa, the strategy is focused on developing production capacity within the countries where the company operates rather than relying on imports to meet demand.
Ghana ranks as the fourth-largest tomato producer in West Africa, after Nigeria, Guinea, and Niger, yet the country continues to import a portion of its tomato paste requirements from international suppliers.
Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization show that Ghana imported an average of 54,361 tonnes of tomato puree each year between 2020 and 2024, reflecting sustained reliance on foreign processed tomato products.
Over the same five-year period, the average annual expenditure on tomato puree imports reached US$54.4 million, with the import bill peaking at US$85.4 million in 2024.
The latest land concession, therefore, places GB Foods in a position to increase local cultivation of processing tomatoes as it seeks to expand output from its Tema facility and gradually substitute imported tomato paste with domestically produced alternatives.
Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.
