A cartel is an association of independent firms in the same industry that come together to regulate production, control supply, and influence prices to maximize collective profits. Unlike a monopoly, where a single firm dominates the market, a cartel consists of multiple firms that agree to act as a single entity in certain aspects of market behavior. Cartels often form in industries where there are few dominant players, high barriers to entry, or products that are relatively homogeneous. Examples of well-known cartels include OPEC in the oil industry and certain historical agreements in the cement, steel, and chemical industries. The primary goal of a cartel is to reduce competition among member firms, thereby increasing their market power and enabling them to achieve higher profits than they would under competitive market conditions. The functioning of a cartel relies on cooperation and coordination among the member firms. Typically, firms in a cartel agree on three main components: output levels, market shares, and pricing strategies. By restricting output, a cartel can artificially reduce supply in the market, which tends to increase the price of the product. Similarly, dividing the market among members prevents firms from competing aggressively in specific regions or customer segments. This arrangement ensures that each member receives a predictable portion of the market, stabilizing revenues and reducing the uncertainty associated with competitive rivalry. Cartels may also agree on methods of advertising, product standardization, and joint purchasing of raw materials to further control costs and market influence. Price fixing in a cartel is generally achieved through mutual agreements among members. The process begins with negotiations, where members discuss the desired price level for their product and the quantity each firm will produce. In a simplified example, if the competitive market price is lower than the price the cartel wants to charge, the firms agree to restrict their output, thereby reducing supply and creating upward pressure on prices. Each firm’s share of the total output is allocated according to pre-agreed quotas, which ensures that no single member undermines the collective strategy by producing more than its limit. This coordinated approach allows the cartel to maintain a price above the level that would exist under perfect competition. Cartel price determination can follow various mechanisms. One common method is the target cost-plus pricing, where members calculate the production cost and then add a uniform profit margin agreed upon collectively. Another approach is to base