Gum arabic
The economy of Metemma is predominantly agricultural. This woreda has been the major center of cotton production inside Ethiopia since the 1950s. In 2003/2004, 21.1 square kilometers were planted in cotton, yielding 168,592 qt of crop. Gum arabic and incense are important cash crops in this woreda; the principal species which produce incense is "Boswellia papyrifera", while "Acacia seyal" and "A. polyacantha" are harvested for their gum. Three private companies are involved in harvesting incense, which together produce about 500 qt annually. Of the 18 rural kebeles, 12 have organized Farming Service Cooperatives with 2,995 members, and the remaining 6 are in the process of organizing cooperatives. Six cooperatives joined in 200 to form the Metemma Cooperative Union. One micro-finance institution operates in this woreda, the Amhara Credit and Saving Institution SC (ACSI); established in 1998, it has one office at Shehedi and another at Shinfa. As of 2004, ACSI loaned out 5,357,540 Birr to 2,618 clients in this woreda.