Answer:
In France:
Farmer can produce = 10 metric tons of grain or 5 metric tons of dates in a season
In Mali:
Farmer can produce = 10 metric tons of grain or 25 metric tons of dates.
(1) Mali has the absolute advantage in producing dates because Mali produces more metric tons of dates than France from the same level resources.
(2) No country has an absolute advantage in producing grain because same amount of grain were produced by both the countries with the same level of resources.
(3) Opportunity cost of dates in France =
= 2 grain
Opportunity cost of dates in Mali =
= 0.4 grain
Therefore, Mali's opportunity cost of producing dates is lower than France, so Mali has a comparative advantage in producing dates.
(4) Opportunity cost of grain in France =
= 0.5 dates
Opportunity cost of grain in Mali =
= 2.5 dates
Therefore, France's opportunity cost of producing grains is lower than Mali, so France has a comparative advantage in producing grains.