题目选项分析

The price of titanium dioxide, a key ingredient in house paint, is increasing due to limited supplies because many mining companies that once produced titanium ore have shifted production to other ores. Without titanium dioxide, paint colors are less bright and more coats of paint must be applied to compensate. Companies that produce paint have concluded that they will soon need to increase the prices on the paint they produce. Which of the following would, if true, most strongly support the companies` conclusion?

【选项】The production cost of paint without titanium dioxide is not low enough to make such paint economically viable to compete with paint containing titanium dioxide.