Rice is the major crop in the east where rainfall is heavy. In the drier eastern areas, wheat is the main food crop. Madhya Pradesh is the largest soybean producer in India. Other commercial crops include cotton, linseed, sesame, and sugar cane. Forests cover about 30 percent of the state.
Salai trees provide a resin which is used for incense and medicine.
Bamboo, teak, and sal are valuable timber trees. Factories in the state produce a number of products. The chief manufactured goods in Madhya Pradesh include aluminum, heavy electrical and electronic goods, leather products, optical fibers, paper, plastics, steel, and textiles. The state is rich in minerals. The country's largest diamond mine is in Panna.