--%>

Question on lowering the supply

The Reagan Administration introduced new agricultural program named as the Payment-in-Kind Program, in the year of 1983. In order to distinguish how the program worked, let's assume the wheat market. Now assume the government desire to lower the supply of wheat by 25 percent from the free-market equilibrium by paying farmers to withdraw land from production. Though, the payment is made in wheat instead of in dollars--hence the name of the program. The wheat comes from the government's vast reserves that resulted from previous price-support programs. The amount of wheat paid is equivalent to the amount which could have been harvested on the land withdrawn from production. Farmers are free to sell this wheat on the market. How much is produced by farmers now? How much is supplied indirectly to the market by the government? What is the new market price? How much do the farmers gain? Do consumers gain or lose?
Since the free market supply by farmers is 20 billion bushels, the 25 percent reduction needed by the new Payment-In-Kind (PIK) Program would imply that the farmers now generate 15 billion bushels. To encourage farmers to withdraw their land from cultivation, the government have to give them 5 billion bushels, which they sell on the market.
Since the total supply to the market is still 20 billion bushels, the market price does not change; this remains at $4 per bushel. The farmers gain $20 billion, equal to ($4)(5 billion bushels), from the PIK Program, since they incur no costs in supplying the wheat (which they received from the government) to the market. The PIK program does not influence consumers in the wheat market, since they purchase the similar amount at the same price as they did in the free market case.

   Related Questions in Microeconomics

  • Q : Demand in price inelastic region

    HoloIMAGine will never deliberately generate and sell holographic technology at an output level where is: (w) marginal revenue [MR] is positive. (x) demand is in a price-elastic region. (y) marginal revenue [MR] is falling. (z) demand is in a price-in

  • Q : Collective Bargaining-John Hicks model

    I have a problem in economics on Collective Bargaining-John Hicks model. Please help me in the following question. Sir John Hick’s model of the collective bargaining doesn’t describe: (1) Final wage settlements. (2) The period of strikes.

  • Q : Estimate the slope for price and

    When the price reduces and quantity demanded increases along such demand curve for pizza, in that case the slope: (w) is constant and elasticity falls. (x) and elasticity are constant. (y) increases and elasticity is constant. (z) and elasticity increase.

  • Q : Unitarily price elastic while small

    When small raises or decreases within the price of generic bananas do not influence the total sales revenue from bananas, in that case the market demand for generic bananas is: (i) perfectly price elastic. (ii) perfec

  • Q : Unite to form cartels and share

    Oligopolies which unite to form cartels and share monopoly profits give an illustration of: (i) collusive behavior. (ii) territorial imperatives. (iii) mergers and acquisitions. (iv) non-collusive strategy. (v) corporate raiding.

  • Q : Equilibrium price of a quantity I have

    I have a problem in economics on Equilibrium price of a quantity. Please help me in the following question. The equilibrium price is a price at which the quantity: (1) Bought equivalents the quantity sold. (2) Demanded equivalents the quantity supplie

  • Q : Minimum Required Quantity Demand An

    An economic rent is earned when the owner of any resource as: (w) receives income greater than the minimum required to ensure that the quantity demanded is obtainable. (x) exerts control over the payment for the resource. (y) sells input services in a

  • Q : Purely competitive industry in the long

    For a purely competitive industry in the long run: (i) several firms exit therefore others may earn more than normal profits. (ii) established firms reap higher profits than newer firms. (iii) all resources are fixed for the industry as an entire. (iv

  • Q : Increased value of product due to time

    The farmer stores corn after its harvest in the fall and then vends it in the spring as a hog food at very higher price. The raised value of the corn is due to its modifying: (i) Place. (ii) Form. (iii) Possession. (iv) Time. Can s

  • Q : Profit Maximization in Resource Markets

    I have a problem in economics on Profit Maximization in Resource Markets. Please help me in the following question. To make a decision regarding resource hire, the firm should consider: (1) The price of resource. (2) The productivity (MP) of resource. (3) Output price