producer and consumer subsidies

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A revision presentation on the economics of producer and consumer subsidies as forms of government intervention in markets. There are a number of up to date examples highlighted together with an evaluation of the benefits and costs of subsidy payments. This is designed as a revision aid for unit 1 students taking their microeconomics papers.

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Producer and Consumer Subsidies

AS Micro Revision

November 2013

Producer Subsidies

• A subsidy is a payment by the government to suppliers that reduce their costs of production and encourages them to increase output

• State subsidises are financed from general taxation or by borrowing

• The subsidy causes the firm's supply curve to shift to the right

• The amount spent on the subsidy is equal to the subsidy per unit multiplied by total output

Producer Subsidies

• A subsidy is a payment by the government to suppliers that reduce their costs of production and encourages them to increase output

• State subsidises are financed from general taxation or by borrowing

• The subsidy causes the firm's supply curve to shift to the right

• The amount spent on the subsidy is equal to the subsidy per unit multiplied by total output

Producer Subsidies

• A subsidy is a payment by the government to suppliers that reduce their costs of production and encourages them to increase output

• State subsidises are financed from general taxation or by borrowing

• The subsidy causes the firm's supply curve to shift to the right

• The amount spent on the subsidy is equal to the subsidy per unit multiplied by total output

Producer Subsidies

• A subsidy is a payment by the government to suppliers that reduce their costs of production and encourages them to increase output

• State subsidises are financed from general taxation or by borrowing

• The subsidy causes the firm's supply curve to shift to the right

• The amount spent on the subsidy is equal to the subsidy per unit multiplied by total output

Examples of subsidies• A payment on the factor cost of a product – e.g. a guaranteed

minimum price offered to farmers such as under the old-style Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

• An input subsidy which subsidises the cost of inputs used in production – e.g. an employment subsidy

• Government grants to cover losses made by a business – e.g. a grant given to cover losses in the rail industry or a loss-making airline

• Bail-outs e.g. for financial organisations in the wake of the credit crunch

• Financial assistance (loans and grants) for businesses setting up in areas of high unemployment

Examples of subsidies• A payment on the factor cost of a product – e.g. a guaranteed

minimum price offered to farmers such as under the old-style Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

• An input subsidy which subsidises the cost of inputs used in production – e.g. an employment subsidy

• Government grants to cover losses made by a business – e.g. a grant given to cover losses in the rail industry or a loss-making airline

• Bail-outs e.g. for financial organisations in the wake of the credit crunch

• Financial assistance (loans and grants) for businesses setting up in areas of high unemployment

Examples of subsidies• A payment on the factor cost of a product – e.g. a guaranteed

minimum price offered to farmers such as under the old-style Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

• An input subsidy which subsidises the cost of inputs used in production – e.g. an employment subsidy

• Government grants to cover losses made by a business – e.g. a grant given to cover losses in the rail industry or a loss-making airline

• Bail-outs e.g. for financial organisations in the wake of the credit crunch

• Financial assistance (loans and grants) for businesses setting up in areas of high unemployment

Examples of subsidies• A payment on the factor cost of a product – e.g. a guaranteed

minimum price offered to farmers such as under the old-style Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

• An input subsidy which subsidises the cost of inputs used in production – e.g. an employment subsidy

• Government grants to cover losses made by a business – e.g. a grant given to cover losses in the rail industry or a loss-making airline

• Bail-outs e.g. for financial organisations in the wake of the credit crunch

• Financial assistance (loans and grants) for businesses setting up in areas of high unemployment

Examples of subsidies• A payment on the factor cost of a product – e.g. a guaranteed

minimum price offered to farmers such as under the old-style Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

• An input subsidy which subsidises the cost of inputs used in production – e.g. an employment subsidy

• Government grants to cover losses made by a business – e.g. a grant given to cover losses in the rail industry or a loss-making airline

• Bail-outs e.g. for financial organisations in the wake of the credit crunch

• Financial assistance (loans and grants) for businesses setting up in areas of high unemployment

Diagrams matter!

Diagram must havesFully labeledOriginal and new equilibriumDemand and supply the correct way round Well explained – you must explain why the

curve has shifted, in detailThink about the elasticity – e.g. oil has

inelastic demand and supply

Analysing the effects of a subsidy

Costs and Benefits

Output

Demand

Supply post subsidyA

B

Supply pre subsidy

Analysing the effects of a subsidy

Costs and Benefits

Output

Demand

Supply post subsidyA

B

Supply pre subsidy

C

D

Analysing the effects of a subsidy

Costs and Benefits

Output

Demand

Supply post subsidyA

B

Supply pre subsidy

C

D

ESupplier

receives C

Consumer pays B

Analysing the effects of a subsidy

Costs and Benefits

Output

Demand

Supply post subsidyA

B

Supply pre subsidy

C

D

ESupplier

receives C

Consumer pays B

Subsidy payment

Consumer and producer surplus

Price

Output

Demand

S2 post subsidy

S1 pre subsidy

P1

Q1

Market price and quantity before the subsidy is P1 and Q1

Consumer and producer surplus

Price

Output

Demand

S2 post subsidy

S1 pre subsidy

P1

Q1

Consumer surplus is area ABP1

A

B

Consumer and producer surplus

Price

Output

Demand

S2 post subsidy

S1 pre subsidy

P1

Q1

Producer surplus = area P1BC

A

B

C

Consumer and producer surplus

Price

Output

Demand

S2 post subsidy

S1 pre subsidy

P1

Q1

The subsidy causes a fall in market price to P2

A

B

C

Q2

P2

Consumer and producer surplus

Price

Output

Demand

S2 post subsidy

S1 pre subsidy

P1

Q1

Consumer surplus increases to area ADP2

A

B

C

Q2

P2

D

Consumer and producer surplus

Price

Output

Demand

S2 post subsidy

S1 pre subsidy

P1

Q1

Producer surplus boosted through the subsidy payment

A

B

C

Q2

P2

D

P3E

Arguments for Subsidies

Controlling price inflation e.g. food prices

Boost employment especially in poor areas

Improve human capital and productivity

Protect strategic / infant industries

Promote growing demand for renewables

Improve affordability for low-income families

Arguments for Subsidies

Controlling price inflation e.g. food prices

Boost employment especially in poor areas

Improve human capital and productivity

Protect strategic / infant industries

Promote growing demand for renewables

Improve affordability for low-income families

Arguments for Subsidies

Controlling price inflation e.g. food prices

Boost employment especially in poor areas

Improve human capital and productivity

Protect strategic / infant industries

Promote growing demand for renewables

Improve affordability for low-income families

Arguments for Subsidies

Controlling price inflation e.g. food prices

Boost employment especially in poor areas

Improve human capital and productivity

Protect strategic / infant industries

Promote growing demand for renewables

Improve affordability for low-income families

Arguments for Subsidies

Controlling price inflation e.g. food prices

Boost employment especially in poor areas

Improve human capital and productivity

Protect strategic / infant industries

Promote growing demand for renewables

Improve affordability for low-income families

Arguments for Subsidies

Controlling price inflation e.g. food prices

Boost employment especially in poor areas

Improve human capital and productivity

Protect strategic / infant industries

Promote growing demand for renewables

Improve affordability for low-income families

India and Food SubsidiesIndia is introducing a policy aimed at providing subsidised food to two thirds of the population.

The new food security law will provide five kilos of cheap grain every month to nearly 800 million Indians.

Can a new food law solve as long-running problem or will it drain the country's finances? The government says that money is not a problem.

Thailand and Rubber SubsidiesThailand has doubled subsidies to rubber farmers. The Thai cabinet on Tuesday approved the assistance of 21.2bn baht ($659m) to rubber smallholders, after a dispute that has led to shipment delays and to scuffles between police and farmers demonstrating in the south.

Thailand is a leading world exporter of both rubber and rice, but has faced problems managing both industries as state financial support programmes have led to the build-up of stockpiles.

The Thai government’s expanding commodity subsidy programme is in part an effort to bolster the income of farmers at a time of falling world prices. Natural rubber prices have almost halved since the peak of February 2011

Source: News reports, October 2013

Is there a case for a NEET subsidy?• The number of young people not

in education, employment or training in the UK was 1.07m people aged 16 to 24 in the 3rd quarter of 2013

• Youth Contract launched in 2011 – it offers internships, work experience and subsidies for businesses to take on new employees.

• But few companies are taking up the offer of wage subsidies. In the first year of the scheme – designed to fund jobs for 160,000 people over three years – it was used to employ fewer than 5,000 young people

Source: News reports, Oct 2013

Child care subsidies – a way forward?

Britain ranks 15th out of 25 OECD nations for maternal employment, languishing behind Germany, France, Canada and the USA

In New Zealand – the government offers subsidies for in-home nanny services. The childcare rebate (subsidy) currently provides parents with 50% of their childcare costs up to a total of $7,500 a year for each child.

With the UK childcare voucher scheme, an average family with two working parents claiming vouchers can save up to £1,866 a year towards their childcare costs if both parents buy vouchers but only if their employer has signed up to a scheme

Biomass subsidies have increased demand for wood, pushing prices higher

Price of Timber

Quantity of Timber

D1

D2

S1

Q1 Q2

P1

P2

Evaluation – Criticism of Subsidies

Distortion of market prices / incentives

Risk of fraud from subsidy payments

Expensive – high cost for taxpayers

Inequitable – many rich people may benefit Environmental damage Protects inefficient

businesses

Evaluation – Criticism of Subsidies

Distortion of market prices / incentives

Risk of fraud from subsidy payments

Expensive – high cost for taxpayers

Inequitable – many rich people may benefit Environmental damage Protects inefficient

businesses

Evaluation – Criticism of Subsidies

Distortion of market prices / incentives

Risk of fraud from subsidy payments

Expensive – high cost for taxpayers

Inequitable – many rich people may benefit Environmental damage Protects inefficient

businesses

Evaluation – Criticism of Subsidies

Distortion of market prices / incentives

Risk of fraud from subsidy payments

Expensive – high cost for taxpayers

Inequitable – many rich people may benefit Environmental damage Protects inefficient

businesses

Evaluation – Criticism of Subsidies

Distortion of market prices / incentives

Risk of fraud from subsidy payments

Expensive – high cost for taxpayers

Inequitable – many rich people may benefit Environmental damage Protects inefficient

businesses

Evaluation – Criticism of Subsidies

Distortion of market prices / incentives

Risk of fraud from subsidy payments

Expensive – high cost for taxpayers

Inequitable – many rich people may benefit Environmental damage Protects inefficient

businesses

Surpluses can lead to

excess capacity and long

term damage –

the EU fishing

industry is an example

Short term and long term effects“In general, subsidies should be employed to change behaviour and solve specific problems rather than to serve as a long-term crutch for producers. If not, it will stifle innovation and make producers both less competitive and more dependent on government.”

Source: Jason Clay, Guardian, August 2013

Renewable Energy & Solar Subsidies

Consumer Subsidies: Feed-In-Tariffs

Using cross-elasticity of demand, assess the likely relationship between the demand for solar panels and the price of household electricity from non-renewable sources

Rising electricity prices

Incentives to switch to

renewable energy

There is a cost to switching

Rising market demand for solar

panels

Despite a strong rise in demand, the market price of solar panels has fallen in recent years. With the help of a supply and demand diagram, explain why this can have happened

Quantity

D1

S1

P1

Q1

Price of solar

panels

Despite a strong rise in demand, the market price of solar panels has fallen in recent years. With the help of a supply and demand diagram, explain why this can have happened

Price of solar

panels

Quantity

D1

S1

P1

Q1

D1

Despite a strong rise in demand, the market price of solar panels has fallen in recent years. With the help of a supply and demand diagram, explain why this can have happened

Price of solar

panels

Quantity

D1

S1

P1

Q1

D2

P2

Despite a strong rise in demand, the market price of solar panels has fallen in recent years. With the help of a supply and demand diagram, explain why this can have happened

Price of solar

panels

Quantity

D1

S1

P1

Q1

D2

P2

S2

Despite a strong rise in demand, the market price of solar panels has fallen in recent years. With the help of a supply and demand diagram, explain why this can have happened

Price of solar

panels

Quantity

D1

S1

P1

Q1

D2

P2

S2

P3

Despite a strong rise in demand, the market price of solar panels has fallen in recent years. With the help of a supply and demand diagram, explain why this can have happened

Price of solar

panels

D1

S1

P1

Q1

D2

P2

S2

P3

Q2

Evaluate the argument for government intervention in the

market for solar panels to encourage the growth of renewable energy rather than allowing free market

forces to operate

The case for solar subsidiesPromotes renewable energy and lowers oil dependency

Creates thousands of new jobs – + a positive multiplier effect

Cuts bills for consumers & councils

Economies of scale if the take-up of panels increases

Solar subsidies – critical evaluation

Subsidies benefit richer households

Limited effectiveness for money spent – opportunity cost

Mis-selling of solar panels especially to vulnerable households

Most solar panels are imported

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