Identify and explain one factor that affects the supply of a product, using cocoa beans as an example.

TASK 3a: Factor Identification (2 marks)

One factor affecting the supply of a product, such as cocoa beans, is the cost of production.

If the cost of inputs required to produce cocoa beans, such as fertilizer prices or labor wages, increases, it becomes more expensive for farmers to produce the same quantity. This reduces their profit margins, leading them to supply less cocoa beans at every given price. Conversely, a decrease in production costs would make it more profitable, leading to an increase in supply. This change in supply, due to a factor other than the product's own price, causes the entire supply curve to shift.