Home > Economics FAQs Blog > In producer surplus, it was stated that more and more producers want to receive less money over time. Was that correct?
This question pertains to topics in Microeconomics, such as Producer Surplus, Supply Curve, Price Mechanism
Producer Surplus: Producer surplus is an economic measure of producer benefit. It's calculated as the difference between what producers are willing and able to sell a good for (the minimum price they would accept) and the price they actually receive.
Supply Curve: The supply curve is a graphical representation of the relationship between the price of a good or service and the quantity supplied for a given period.
The statement you mentioned seems to be a misunderstanding. In the context of producer surplus,
producers want to receive the highest possible price for their goods or services, not less. This is because
a higher price provides a larger producer surplus, increasing their profit.The supply curve, which illustrates the quantity of goods producers are willing to supply at different prices, generally slopes upwards. This is because at higher prices, producers are more willing to increase their production as it becomes more profitable to do so.
Apple Inc.: For instance, Apple Inc., like any other producer, will aim to sell its products, such as iPhones, at the highest possible price to maximise profits. While they may reduce prices over time (usually when a newer model is introduced), it's not because they want to receive less money, but due to market dynamics and the need to clear older stock.
Agricultural Producers: Similarly, farmers want to sell their crops for the highest possible price. In some years, when prices for certain crops like wheat or soybeans are high due to shortages or high demand, farmers will enjoy a greater producer surplus.
To clarify, producers typically aim to maximise their producer surplus by receiving the highest possible price for their goods or services. The concept of producer surplus is directly related to the supply curve, which indicates that producers are willing to supply more goods or services as prices increase.
