Thousands of farmers across north India’s Punjab have suffered major losses after unprecedented monsoon rains flooded the fields where they were growing paddy and vegetables.

Farmers’ unions are asking the government to compensate them for the extensive damage to their paddy crops.

The Indian government has said it expects to produce 135.5 million tonnes of rice this year, more than what they produced last year, but the ongoing rains and floods might impact this goal.

Rice production is falling worldwide because of changing weather patterns and this would hurt people in Asia -Pacific who consume most of the world’s rice.

Agencies/Aljazeera.