SOFTS-Raw sugar hits near two-month low while cocoa climbs

- Raw sugar futures on ICE fell to a near two-month low on Tuesday, dragged down by weakness in crude oil prices, while cocoa climbed on growing concerns about the outlook for West African crops in the 2026/27 season.

SUGAR

* Raw sugar SBc1 fell 0.3% to 13.64 cents per lb at 1100 GMT, having earlier hit a near two-month low of 13.56 cents.

* Weaker energy prices can lead to increased use of cane to produce sugar rather than biofuel ethanol.

* Dealers said, however, the downside may be limited with the price now below the cost of production in many countries while an El Nino weather event could curb crop potential.

* White sugar LSUc1 lost 0.25% to $441.30 a metric ton.

COCOA

* London cocoa LCCc2 rose 4.2% to £3,092 a ton.

* The market has been supported by indications that 2026/27 main crops in West Africa may be significantly below this season with El Nino weather conditions adding to concerns about crop prospects in the region.

* Australia's weather bureau warned on Tuesday that an El Nino weather pattern has formed in the tropical Pacific and could intensify in the second half of 2026 to become one of the strongest in seven decades.

* New York cocoa CCc2 gained 4.5% to $4,151 a ton.

COFFEE

* Arabica coffee KCc2 fell 0.1% to $2.5905 per lb.

* Several days of rain soaked harvested coffee that was being left to dry at farmyards in main producing areas in Brazil and halted harvest field work in the world's top producer and exporter, farmers and forecasters said on Monday.

* Robusta coffee LRCc2 was up 0.9% to $3,560 a ton.