Raw sugar vaulted higher to close up more than 3 percent on Thursday, on talk that the main growing region in top producer Brazil is producing less than expected, while US cocoa eased in thin dealings as West African selling added pressure.
Arabica coffee also closed at a six-month low on technical sell signals and spillover pressure from the Liffe robusta market.
Key October raw sugar futures jumped 0.93 cent, or 3.2 percent, to settle at 29.85 cents per lb. Contract hit a session peak at 30.40 cents, up by 5.12 percent.
Catalyst for rally is talk that cane crop in No 1 producer Brazil's main center-south region is even lower than forecast.
Country Hedging Inc senior analyst Sterling Smith said a small crop gets smaller and that was the "No 1 factor" for the advance.
Brazil sugar industry group Unica said recently the crush in key center-south region at 533.5 million tonnes.
Some analysts feel the crush may now drop below 520 or even approach 500 million tonnes. September arabica coffee futures eased 2.60 cents to close at $2.4080 per lb, the lowest settlement for the spot contract since January 27.
Market fell on chart-based selling as September was unable to rise above the 200-day moving average, said traders.
Pressure from the tumbling Liffe robusta market also weighed on the market, said traders.
Hurricane Dora was close to becoming a Category 5 storm off Mexico's Pacific coast, threatening to soak coffee-growing regions.
ICE certified arabica stocks fell 16,761 bags to 1,543,331 bags by July 20, the lowest since February 2000, with 16,790 bags pending grading in Europe, according to ICE data.
Key September cocoa futures inched down $11 to close at $3,172 per tonne. Selling from Ghana weighed on the market, said traders. Light chart-based selling after September failed to breach the recent double top at $3,220, said traders.
Losses limited by strong technical signal as market remained above 200-day and 100-day moving averages, and as the 20-day moving average came near the 100-day moving average around $3,119, said traders.
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