Market gardening is practised near urban areas. Why?
Market gardening is practised near urban areas because it specialises in the cultivation of high value crops such as vegetables, fruits and flowers, solely for the urban markets. These crops are perishable and need to reach consumers quickly, making proximity to cities essential.
Farms are located where there are good transportation links with the urban centre where the high income group of consumers is located. In truck farming, the distance of farms from the market is governed by the distance that a truck can cover overnight, hence the name. This ensures fresh produce reaches urban markets daily.
Explanation
The textbook clearly states that market gardening specialises in high value crops like vegetables, fruits and flowers 'solely for the urban markets'. The farms need good transportation links to urban centres where high-income consumers live. The perishable nature of these crops necessitates proximity to markets, as seen in truck farming where distance is determined by overnight truck travel distance.