Assume the market for fertilizer is perfectly competitive. Firms in the market are producing output, but they are currently making economic losses.
a. How does the price of fertilizer compare to the average total cost, the average variable cost, and the marginal cost of producing fertilizer?
b. Draw the two graphs, side by side, illustrating the present situation for the typical firm and for the market.
c. Assuming there is no change in demand or the firms’ cost curves, explain what will happen in the long run to the price of fertilizer, marginal cost, average total cost, the quantity supplied by each firm, and the total quantity supplied in the market.