Laborers carry rice bags at a jetty in Yangon, Myanmar, March 7, 2018. Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi has called on farmers and stakeholders in the country to strive for regaining the past status of top rice exporting country by turning to new agricultural methods such as organic farming, Myanmar News Agency reported Wednesday. (Xinhua/U Aung)

YANGON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi has called on farmers and stakeholders in the country to strive for regaining the past status of top rice exporting country by turning to new agricultural methods such as organic farming, Myanmar News Agency reported Wednesday.

Aung San Suu Kyi made the call at the Myanmar Rice Federation Stakeholder Forum in Nay Pyi Taw Tuesday which was held with the aim of maintaining sustainable development of local rice industry.

Pledging support for the farmers, Aung San Suu Kyi urged them to pass the integrity and value of agriculture to their children as the agricultural sector continues to play a large part in the development of the country.

She also urged the farmers' children to seek opportunities in agriculture, not like the youths from rural areas in developed countries who walk away from farms and work in cities, which creates problems in the agricultural sector.

At the forum, the Myanmar Rice Federation announced the basic index for the prices for rice this year, stressed the importance of research on climate change, and warned of the country's weakness in carrying out research for the agricultural sector.

Local and foreign experts took part in the discussions for the development of the rice industry in Myanmar.

According to the forum, Myanmar's rice export in this fiscal year 2017-18 ending March was more than 3 million tons, the largest in over 70 years.