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The cotton farms of Country Q became so productive that that

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The cotton farms of Country Q became so productive that that [#permalink] New post 26 Dec 2005, 20:50
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The cotton farms of Country Q became so productive that that market could not absorb all that they produced. Consequently, cotton prices fell. The government tried to boost cotton prices by offering farmers who took 25 percent of their cotton acreage out of produdction direct support payments up to a specified maximum per farm.

The government's program, if successful, will not be a net burden on the budget. Which of the following, if true, is the basis for an explanation how ths could be so?

(A) Depressed cotton prices meant operating losses for cotton farms, and the government lost revenue from taxes on farm profits.

(B) Cotton production in several countries other than Q declined slightly the year that support-payment program went into effect in Q.

(C) The first year that the support-payment program was in effect, cotton acreage in Q was 5% below its level in the base year for the program.

(D) The specified maximum per farm meant that for very large cotton farms the support payments were less per acre for those acres that were withdrawn from production than they were for smaller farms.

(E) Farmers who wished to qualify for support payments could not use the cotton acreage that was withdrawn from production to grow any other crop
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 [#permalink] New post 26 Dec 2005, 21:23
'A' makes sense.

(A) Depressed cotton prices meant operating losses for cotton farms, and the government lost revenue from taxes on farm profits.
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 [#permalink] New post 26 Dec 2005, 21:34
Vivek, could you elaborate?
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 [#permalink] New post 26 Dec 2005, 21:48
TeHCM,

Government is paying farmers who can take 25% of the production land out of production, so government is spending here, if there should be no burden on government, this money should come from somewhere.

So, if the prices of cotton go up, government will anyway get revenue from taxes & hence no burden.

'A' says, if cotton prices fall, there is no profit for farms, hence no tax revenue for government. So should be correct.
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 [#permalink] New post 26 Dec 2005, 21:58
Another one for A. Same explanation as Vivek ....revenue / cost balance.
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 [#permalink] New post 26 Dec 2005, 22:15
A is what I am also supporting, although this doesn't sound like a GMATically right question.

Here's my line of thinking:

Govt wants to help farmers, but doesn't want to incur loss. Which means Payments provided to farmers - Revenues form somewhere (of course pertaining to cotton sales/prices/...) > 0

Consider:
TAX1 = Tax revenues at to current price of cotton
TAX2 = Tax revenues at new (higher) price of cotton
PMTS = Total payments provided to farmers

If the Govt is successful, then it must be true that

TAX2 - PMTS > TAX1

Also NOTE that the CR only talks about Govt's success but NOT farmers' success.
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 [#permalink] New post 27 Dec 2005, 09:12
Vivek, thanks for your explanation. I was confused by what answer A really meant.

OA is A.
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  [#permalink] 27 Dec 2005, 09:12
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