TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Recent rainfall in Tainan has brought much-needed relief to mango growers after a dry winter, raising hopes for a stronger harvest this year.

Tainan saw rain over the weekend, with heavier precipitation in mountainous areas benefiting key mango-producing regions that had faced insufficient rainfall during the winter months, per CNA.

The highest cumulative rainfall over the two days was recorded at Nanxi District’s Tsengwen Station and Dongshan District’s Yankeng Station, both at 62 mm. Mountainous areas such as Nanhua and Yujing received more than 50 mm, while totals in urban areas and plains were comparatively lower.

Nanxi, Nanhua, and Yujing are among Tainan’s primary mango-growing areas. Farmers had been concerned that limited water during the fruiting season would hurt yields, making the recent rainfall a timely boost.

A farmer surnamed Chou (周) from Yujing District described the rainfall as “just right.” Mangoes require sufficient water during the early fruit stage, and prolonged dry conditions can result in smaller fruit or, in severe cases, significant fruit drop and reduced harvests.

With accumulated rainfall reaching around 50 mm over the weekend — below levels that could cause damage — trees received an optimal amount of moisture, Chou said.

He noted that mangoes in mountainous areas are typically grown on slopes, making large-scale irrigation difficult. Rainfall remains the most effective way to replenish soil moisture. With the ground now adequately saturated, trees are expected to develop fine roots, improving the effectiveness of fertilization.

Many farmers took advantage of the conditions to prepare their land and fertilize orchards, hoping to secure a strong harvest. Chou added that the first flowering of mango trees in mountainous areas has been promising this year. If similar rainfall continues and no major disruptions such as typhoons occur, he expects this year’s harvest to significantly outperform last year’s.

The rainfall has also helped replenish key reservoirs in Tainan, halting declines seen during the winter. According to the Water Resources Agency, the combined storage of Tsengwen and Wushantou reservoirs stands at approximately 160.4 million cubic meters, or 28.37% of capacity. Nanhua Reservoir holds about 35.65 million cubic meters, or 41.83% of capacity, with both figures showing a modest increase from Saturday at noon.