Supply and demand Essay Example for Free

Supply and demand Essay Coffee is the world’s second largest traded commodity it is used not only for drinking but for soft drinks and cosmetics as well, it is second only to oil according to all imports and exports from all countries. They are two main types Arabica coffee (most people are used to this and are more popular) and there is Robusta coffee. In the last two years the prices of coffee have been gradually falling (Ycharts. (2013). Coffee Arabica Price) alongside this, the supply of coffee has also been falling. Although there have been some price fluctuations at times and this could end up really affecting an economy that depends on coffee. The reason that this is such a big deal is because the countries that heavily depend on coffee exports are usually developing countries and with the price of coffee falls, so does their rate of development, these countries involve countries such as Vietnam, Ethiopia, Peru and Guatemala who are all within the world’s top ten coffee producers (Justin Doom. (2011). World’s Top 10 Coffee-Producing Countries in 2010-2011). When these economies are weakened, they face to their governments, who need to somehow intervene in the coffee market and try to stabilise the prices so that they can reach their ultimate goal to continue to develop. Price stability in the coffee market is an ideal scenario in a market where the prices for coffee do not alter drastically. They may raise a little or fall, but never by a noticeable amount, and are easy to predict, which can help coffee producers plan for the far future. It is not only important to coffee producers, but to the economy as whole, if the prices for coffee are unstable, for some countries this could have a huge impact on the inflation levels. The diagram below describes how an unstable price for coffee can increase and affect the short run aggregate supply and cause the general price level for the economy to rise and therefore causing inflation as they did in July 2012 (Ycharts. (2013). There are several reasons why the prices of coffee have been fluctuating, but still gradually falling. The first reason is that coffee or coffee beans are extracted from plants. These plants must first be grown, then harvested. There is only so much mankind can do to ensure that there is always excess coffee however sometimes natural disasters can occur, and there is nothing that farmers can do to prevent this, when natural disasters occurs it means that farmers will have small yields and supply for coffee will be low, for example Colombia, one of the world’s leading coffee producers and exporters, in recent years have been experiencing poor weather conditions which have led to production falling by 12% to 7. 809 million bags in 2011 which is a record low that hasn’t been seen since 1976. This can cause the price to increase seeing as coffee is the world’s second most demanded commodity. These poor conditions consisted of excessive heavy rainfall, disease, pest and limited sunlight (Zacks Equity Research. 2 (2012)). The graph below shows how the supply for coffee has decrease leading to a rise in price On the other hand this is just an example for Colombia and for the rest of the world the prices for coffee have been falling for the last four years, this is due to wealthy individuals and companies use their money to invest in the global coffee suppliers, and other large coffee producers such as Brazil (the world number three) has been turning out high yield and is expected to do so in following years. Fain Shaffer, president of infinity trading crop expects coffee to be traded by one dollar to a pound of coffee, figures which have not been seen since September 2006. (Alexandra Wexler. (09/17/2013)) Coffee prices may currently be relatively stable at the moment however according to research conducted by the Royal Botanical Edinburgh along with Ethiopian scientists and London’s Botanical Garden, Kew, have predicted that wild Arabica coffee will be extinct by the year 2080. If the prices begin to fall, all of a sudden the prices for coffee will no longer be stable. No country operates on a 100% free market. All economies are mixed, some tend to be freer than others, however should a country find that prices are volatile or unfair, they can always rely on the government to intervene, aka government intervention. One way a government could help stabilise the price of coffee is through buffer stock schemes, these schemes focus on the prices of coffee and try to stabilize the price, they do this by first establishing the intervention price, this is a price the government thinks is most suitable for coffee. Once this has been established the government will then buy up a lot of coffee when the price is at its lowest, they continue to do this until prices for 3 coffee begin to rise again, and to balance out the price to make sure it is at the intervention price. They are constantly buying coffee to balance out the price. This is an effective method in theory however in real life they do not work out as planned because the people in charge of the buffer stock tend to get greedy and try to maximise profits rather than help the economy as a whole and end up just constantly buying till they go bust. A good example of a successful buffer stock scheme is in Brazil, for years Conab, Brazil’s official crop bureau has been buying coffee at low prices and uses it to help local producers when the selling price for coffee is too low. Between 2003-2004 Conab had just under four million KGs accumulated. (Geoff Riley. (2012)) Another issue with this is that it is very difficult for a government to raise enough money to buy up enough coffee to influence the natural supply and demand. It is also expensive to store large amounts of coffee and because it is an agricultural good it has a shelf life. Another method the government could intervene is through Subsidies. A subsidy is a grant given by the government in order to increase production, this would help producers who have produce low yields due to high taxation and or high costs If the government could make coffee more attractive this could help stabilise the price if supply started to fall. This however is not a very effective method because it can only help bring the supply of coffee back up, and it may be able to work to well, if producers begin to produce excess supply the prices of coffee could start to increase sharply leaving the prices unstable yet again. Buffer stock schemes are the most ideal way for a government to ensure price stability, and the success of the scheme depends heavily on whether or not the Government can provide proper facilities to accommodate huge quantities of coffee and are able to afford to buy enough Coffee to be able to alter the market forces so that if prices go to high they can bring them down and if they go to low that they can bring them back up again, if not it could result in huge losses for the economy and even end up setting the country back. The supply and demand of coffee can and always will be prone to quick sudden changes due to circumstances that are unavoidable.

Langston Hughes Essay -- Biography Writer Author Essays

Langston Hughes Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. He was named after his father, James Hughes, but was known as Langston. He was the only child from his parents James and Carrie Hughes. His parents were not married for long because of an unhappy marriage. When they separated, Langston was left with his mother, who left him behind to move from city to city to find work. Langston ended up living with his 70 year-old grandmother in Lawrence, Kansas. He lived with her until he was 13, and then he moved back with his mother in Lincoln, Kansas after his grandmother died in 1915. Langston, his mother, and his new stepfather lived in Lincoln for a year, until his stepfather found work and then they all moved to Ohio, where Langston went to high school. Langston went to a high school called Central High. After 2 years, Langston’s mother and stepfather moved to Chicago, but Hughes stayed in Cleveland to Graduate from high school. Langston was very devoted in high school. His first piece of verse was published in Central High Monthly, which was a very prominent school magazine, which he later became staff of and published his work monthly. One of Langston’s English teachers introduced him to writers such as Carl Sandburg, and Walt Whitman, which became Langston’s earliest influences. In the summer after 11th grade, Langston’s father reentered his life. He was living in Toluca, Mexico. Hughes went to visit his father that summer bu...

How Far Do the Sources Suggest That James I’s Extravagance?

How far do the sources suggest that it was James I’s extravagant giving was the cause of his financial problems? On the face of it the sources seem to disagree on this issue. Sources ten and twelve seem to show that James’ extravagant giving was the cause of his financial problems however source eleven seems to show that it was not James’ extravagant giving that caused his financial problems.In source ten, ‘Matthew Hutton’ states that, â€Å"His Majesty’s subjects hear and fear that King James’ heroical and excellent nature is too inclined to giving† and that this will soon ‘exhaust the treasury of his kingdom’, thus implying that James’s extravagant nature was and will be the cause of his financial problems. This is further backed up by source twelve as it states that James ‘is very generous with his gifts’ and that ‘gifts to the scots are causing an incurable leak from the cistern, this is demonstrating how James’ extravagance is causing him financial trouble.Whereas on the face of it source eleven seems to disagree with the other two sources as it demonstrates how it was not James’ extravagance that was causing him financial trouble. In this source it states that payments to the king, for example taxes are not paid or collected and also ‘The Earl of Dorset’ goes on to say that the fact James I has a family is another reason for his financial trouble.Furthermore as this this is a letter from the ‘Lord Treasurer’ to ‘The Chancellor of the Exchequer’ this is the most reliable source about whether it was James’ extravagance that was causing him financial problems as between them they are the people who look after and maintain the treasury. However it can be argued that all three sources agree to a large extent that it was not James’ extravagant personality that caused his financial problems.Firstly in so urce twelve it does not specifically say that he is ‘extravagant’ also at the time it was written, 1604, James the I was not actually in debt and so this is not a very reliable source to find out whether James’ extravagance caused him financial problems. Source twelve can also back up the point that it was not James’ extravagant giving that caused him financial difficulty as it states that, â€Å"Parliament could replenish the treasury of his Majesty’ Treasury.This implies that it was parliament who caused James’ financial troubles as they did not give him the funds needed to suffice all of his needs, and so in order to negotiate with others he had to resort to giving as he was not given the money needed to create an army. Also, in source twelve the person who wrote the letter was not a part of the government and so this means that he would not have been that close to James to be able to judge whether he was an extravagant giver or not.This is backed up further by his statement, â€Å"I understand from common talk† thus implying that these are just rumours and so they are not a reliable source of information for the listener, in this case John More, and as the information was not reliable that makes the source not reliable. Furthermore, as source ten was written a few years before the rest it was not that reliable and this was further proved by the fact that it is written before the time that James ends up in debt.Therefore the sources, when taken together, show that it was not James I’s extravagant giving that caused his financial difficulties, but that there were a lot of contributing factors stated in source eleven which is the most reliable source and should therefore have the most weight put onto it. This is because the source is between the two leading members who are looking after James I’s money.And sources ten and twelve are not that reliable so they do have so much weight put onto them th us backing up further that it was not James’ extravagant personality as on the face of it that was they suggest but. But when the sources are looked at collectively they show that it was not James’ extravagant giving that caused him financial trouble. Brendon Head Word Count (686 words)

Angonoka Tortoise Facts

The angonoka tortoise (Astrochelys yniphora), also known as the ploughshare or Madagascar tortoise, is a critically endangered species that is endemic to Madagascar. These tortoises have unique shell colorations, a characteristic that makes them a sought-after commodity in the exotic pet trade. In March of 2013, smugglers were caught transporting 54 live angonoka tortoises—nearly 13 percent of the entire remaining population—through an airport in Thailand. Fast Facts: Angonoka Tortoise Scientific Name: Astrochelys yniphoraCommon Names: Angonoka tortoise, ploughshare tortoise, plowshare tortoise, Madagascar tortoiseBasic Animal Group: ReptileSize: 15-17 inchesWeight: 19-23 poundsLifespan: 188 years (average)Diet: HerbivoreHabitat: Baly Bay area of northwestern MadagascarPopulation: 400Conservation Status:  Critically Endangered Description The angonoka tortoises carapace (upper shell) is highly arched and mottled brown in color. The shell has with prominent, ridged growth rings on each scute (shell segment). The gular (foremost) scute of the plastron (lower shell) is narrow and extends forward between the front legs, curving upward toward the neck. Habitat and Distribution The tortoise inhabits dry forests and bamboo-scrub habitats in the Baly Bay area of northwestern Madagascar, near the town of Soalala (including Baie de Baly National Park) where the elevation averages 160 feet above sea level. Diet and Behavior The angonoka tortoise grazes on grasses in open rocky areas of bamboo scrub. It will also browse on shrubs, forbs, herbs, and dried bamboo leaves. In addition to plant material, the tortoise has also been observed eating the dried feces of bush pigs. Reproduction and Offspring The reproductive season occurs from approximately Jan.15 to May 30, with both mating and egg hatching occurring at the onset of rainy seasons. The courtship begins when the male sniffs and then circles the female five to 30 times. The male then pushes and even bites the females head and limbs. The male literally overturns the female in order to mate. Both the males and female can have several mates during their lifetimes. A female tortoise produces one to six eggs per clutch and up to four clutches every year. The eggs incubate from 197 to 281 days. Newborn turtles are generally between about 1.7 and 1.8 inches and are completely independent once they are born. Angonoka tortoises reach maturity and become sexually active at about 20 years of age. Threats The greatest threat to the angonoka tortoise is from smugglers collecting them for the illegal pet trade. Secondly, the introduced bushpig preys on tortoises as well as its eggs and young. Additionally, fires employed to clear land for cattle grazing have destroyed the tortoises habitat. Collection for food over time has also impacted the angonoka tortoise population but to a lesser degree than the above activities. Conservation Status The IUCN classifies the northern leopard frogs conservation status as Critically Endangered. There are literally only about 400 angonoka tortoises remaining in Madagascar, the only place they are found on Earth. Their unique shell colorations make them a sought-after commodity in the exotic pet trade. It is the worlds most endangered tortoise, tortoise advocate Eric Goode said to CBS in a 2012 report on the  ploughshare. And it has an incredibly high price on its head. Asian countries love gold and this is a gold tortoise. And so literally, these are like gold bricks that one can pick up and sell. Conservation Efforts In addition to its IUCN listing, the angonoka tortoise is now protected under the national law of Madagascar and listed on Appendix I of CITES, prohibiting international trade in the species. The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust created Project Angonoka in 1986 in cooperation with the Water and Forests Department, the Durrell Trust, and the World Wide Fund (WWF). The Project performs research on the tortoise and develops conservation plans designed to integrate local communities in the protection of the tortoise and its habitat. Local people have participated in conservation activities such as building firebreaks to prevent wildfire spread and the creation of a national park that will help protect the tortoise and its habitat. A captive breeding facility was established for this species in Madagascar in 1986 by the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust (now the Durrell Trust) in cooperation with the Water and Forests Department. Sources Fishbeck, Lisa. â€Å"Astrochelys Yniphora (Madagascan (Plowshare) Tortoise).†Ã‚  Animal Diversity Web.â€Å"The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.†Ã‚  IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.Nelson, Bryan. â€Å"13 Percent of Entire Tortoise Species Population Found in Smugglers Bag.†Ã‚  MNN, Mother Nature Network, 5 June 2017.â€Å"Ploughshare Tortoise | Astrochelys Yniphora.†Ã‚  EDGE of Existence.â€Å"The Race to Save the Tortoise.†Ã‚  CBS News, CBS Interactive.