a) Discuss the likely economic effects of a shortage of the national staple food (e.g. Maize, Rice) in the in the country. Consider the following situations:

• the very short-term (say, one month);
• the medium term (2 to 12 months); and
• the long-term (more than one year

b) Suppose the government were to put a ceiling on the price of food that suppliers are allowed to charge, what difference would this make on availability of food in the country; both in the short-term and the longer term?