Growers and orchard owners of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh are hopeful of a bumper harvest of mangoes this summer.
This year, there has been a record flowering of mango trees.
Farmers say if the trees get enough water now, mangoes will be available in abundance this year.
"For the last two years, production wasn't that much. But, this year, it is good. The only problem is the non-availability of water. We are not getting any water, even if we pay for it," said Fagu, a farmer.
"The main problem with mango is what they call 'alternate bearing'. It means that the production is good one year, but dips the next year. The reason for this is the level of carbohydrates in the soil. If in one year the production has been good, the level of the nutrients goes down the following year. But, because mango production was pretty low last year, it is expected to increase this year," said Dr Anand Kumar Singh, Assistant Professor of Banaras Hindu University.
Varanasi is famous for the Langara variety of mango.
