Read the passage and answer the questions:
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 a 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. This type of agriculture is well-developed in densely populated industrial districts of northwest Europe, north-eastern United States of America and the Mediterranean regions. The Netherlands specialises in growing flowers and horticultural crops, especially tulips, which are flown to all major cities of Europe. The regions where farmers specialise in vegetables only, the farming is known as truck farming. The distance of truck farms from the market is governed by the distance that a truck can cover overnight, hence the name truck farming. In addition to market gardening, a modern development in the industrial regions of Western Europe and North America is factory farming. Livestock, particularly poultry and cattle rearing, is done in stalls and pens, fed on manufactured feedstuff and carefully supervised against diseases. This requires heavy capital investment in terms of building, machinery for various operations, veterinary services and heating and lighting. One of the important features of poultry farming and cattle rearing is breed selection and scientific breeding.
Which one of the following is NOT the characteristic of factory farming?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Farmers specialise in growing flowers and horticultural crops especially tulips.
Option (1) Breed selection and scientific breeding. — A characteristic (Incorrect). This is named as one of the important features of poultry farming and cattle rearing.
Option (2) Heavy capital investment for building, machinery, various operations and veterinary services. — A characteristic (Incorrect). Factory farming needs heavy capital for buildings, machinery, veterinary services, heating and lighting.
Option (3) Farmers specialise in growing flowers and horticultural crops especially tulips. — Not a characteristic (Correct). This describes market gardening in the Netherlands. Factory farming is about livestock, not flowers.
Option (4) Poultry and cattle rearing, is done in stalls and pens. — A characteristic (Incorrect). In factory farming the animals are kept in stalls and pens, fed on manufactured feedstuff and guarded against disease.
NCERT (2025-26): “Market Gardening and Horticulture … This type of agriculture is well developed in densely populated industrial districts of north west Europe, north eastern United States of America and the Mediterranean regions. The Netherlands specialises in growing flowers and horticultural crops especially tulips, which are flown to all major cities of Europe.…” “Market Gardening and Horticulture … In addition to market gardening, a modern development in the industrial regions of Western Europe and North America is factory farming. Livestock, particularly poultry and cattle rearing, is done in stalls and pens, fed on manufactured feedstuff and carefully supervised against diseases. This requires heavy capital investment in terms of building, machinery for various operations, veterinary services and heating and lighting. One of the important features of poultry farming and cattle rearing is breed selection and scientific breeding.…” |