Most Ethiopian farmers produce goods chiefly for their own use. The main crops include wheat, corn, sorghum, and a grain called teff. Many farmers in the southwest grow coffee plants. Other crops grown for sale include oilseeds and sugar cane. Most farmers also raise cattle, goats, sheep, and chickens.
Farmers make use of only a small part of the land suitable for agriculture in Ethiopia.
Improvements in farming equipment and methods, marketing, and transportation are needed to increase agricultural output. The production of textiles ranks as Ethiopia's chief manufacturing activity. Other products include cement, processed foods, and shoes. Coffee, livestock, hides and skins, and oilseeds rank among Ethiopia's chief exports. Imports include chemicals, crude petroleum, and machinery.