Story highlights Teff is Ethiopia's largest crop, and the main ingredient of injera, the wide pancakes that accompany almost every Ethiopian meal

6.5 million farmers in Ethiopia grow teff, but the government has restricted exports for fear of letting prices rise too quickly

Mechanization and better farming techniques have increased productivity, leading the Ethiopian government to relax the ban

(CNN) Gluten-free and rich in protein, fiber and minerals, Teff is starting to gain a foothold as a new "superfood", along the likes of quinoa and spelt.

The grain has been grown in Ethiopia for thousands of years, but its export was banned by the government until this year. Now it is appearing on supermarket shelves worldwide.

It's also the main ingredient of injera, the flat pancakes that are the centerpiece of Ethiopian food and the source of livelihood for around 6.5 million small farmers.

"When you look across Ethiopia, Teff is the most important commodity for Ethiopia, both on the production side as well as the consumption side," says Khalid Bomba, the CEO of the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency. "Teff is native to the country, but is also a huge part of our culture."

The Ethiopian government ended the export of raw teff in 2006, as rising grain prices prompted fears of a food crisis. Processed teff -- in the form of injera -- was still exported, mainly to the Ethiopian diaspora in northern Europe, the Middle East and North America.

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