Which of the following is NOT the characteristic of market gardening and horticulture?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → The farmers pool in all their resources like land, livestock and labour.
Market gardening and horticulture grow costly crops such as vegetables, fruits and flowers on small farms near cities, for sale in urban markets.
Option (1) It specializes in the cultivation of high-value crops. — A characteristic of market gardening and horticulture. Vegetables, fruits and flowers fetch a high price.
Option (2) It is both labour and capital intensive — A characteristic of market gardening and horticulture. Much work goes into each small farm, and money is spent on irrigation, HYV seeds, fertilisers and greenhouses.
Option (3) The farmers pool in all their resources like land, livestock and labour. — Not a characteristic of market gardening and horticulture. This is collective farming, the Kolkhoz model of the former Soviet Union, based on social ownership and collective labour.
Option (4) High value products are solely for the urban markets. — A characteristic of market gardening and horticulture. The farms are close to cities, where high income buyers live.
NCERT (2026-27): “Market Gardening and Horticulture … Market gardening and horticulture specialise in the cultivation of high value crops such as vegetables, fruits and flowers, solely for the urban markets. Farms are small and are located where there are good transportation links with the urban centre where high income group of consumers is located. It is both labour and capital intensive and lays emphasis on the use of irrigation, HYV seeds, fertilisers, insecticides, greenhouses and artificial heating in colder regions.” “Collective Farming … The farmers used to pool in all their resources like land, livestock and labour. However, they were allowed to retain very small plots to grow crops in order to meet their daily requirements.” |