No, I mean, non-sarcastically, what concept is it intended to communicate? Is it not possible for a market economy to have a food shortage? Just a price of foo

No, I mean, non-sarcastically, what concept is it intended to communicate? Is it not possible for a market economy to have a food shortage? Just a price of food at which some people happen to starve to death? No programmer shortage, but just a price of programmers at which some business opportunities fail to be profitable?