The prolonged spell of intense heat and lack of rain have hit mango growers.

The majority of them complained about how lack of rain around this time would result in mangoes shrinking in size and losing their lusciousness.

Many farmers from Englishbazar, Ratua and Manikchak in Malda, and Basirhat, Duttapukur and Berachampa in North 24-Parganas — two of the mango-producing districts in Bengal — said their orchards desperately need a shower. The fruits have started shrivelling and mangoes of some varieties are turning black while hanging from branches, they said.

“The mangoes need intermittent spells of rain around this time so that the fruits take proper shape. The fruit-bearing trees need water from the ground. It’s not possible to fulfil the requirement through watering every alternate day,” said Raj Kumar Ghosh, an orchard owner in Duttapukur, North 24-Parganas.

Farmers from parts of Nadia and Malda said this being an “off year” — when the yield is expected to be lower than the previous year — the lack of rain means an even lower yield.

Without the rain, some varieties of mangoes will dry up and fall off the branches, they said.

“Spraying medicines isn’t enough. The trees and the fruits need water. Not excess rain, but one or two spells of proper showers. That is missing. Some of us tried watering the mango trees using portable tanks. But it is not cost-effective,” said Mohammad Naushad, who owns several orchards in Malda’s Englishbazar.

“A few spells of showers around this time is almost like a vitamin for the mango trees.”

Agricultural scientists said a combination of moderately high temperature and water is required for mangoes to take good shape and ripen.

“Higher temperatures during the period of fruit development can hasten maturity and improve the fruit size,” said Sushanta Kumar Sarkar, professor of fruit and orchard management, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswa Vidyalaya.

“But if the temperature shoots up beyond 35 degrees Celsius, the trees require more water. Low-height trees can be sprayed with water. But the bigger ones need rain. The trees need to be watered at least once in four days.”

Several farmers said this year hasn’t been easy for mangoes.

Almost 325mm of rain on March 19 and 20, triggered by a low-pressure belt, had struck a blow to the flowers (mukul) of some of the most sought after varieties of mangoes, like Himsagar and Langra. “There can be no alternative to rain. The farmers are unsure about the yield and the price the mangoes would fetch. Not many are keen on additional spending on watering the trees,” said Mohammad Nurul Islam, a mango trader from Malda.

Wholesale fruit traders in Calcutta’s Mechhua said the mango yield is unlikely to cross the 2 lakh tonne-mark this year. Last year, the yield was around 4 lakh tonnes.

With the mercury crossing 40 degrees and rain still a distant reality, the yield might be hit even more, they fear.