AsemconnectVietnam - Arabica coffee futures on ICE fell to their weakest level in almost eight weeks on Thursday while robusta hit a two-week low as funds trimmed long positions and as the pace of exports from Vietnam, the world's top robusta producer, is set to accelerate.

"Investors are turning more bearish on coffee," Shweta Upadhyaya, analyst for Agrimoney's Global Coffee Monitor, said.

"Q4 seasonally is a low point for prices and now Vietnam has entered its peak harvesting season so that is definitely pushing prices further (down)," she added.

March arabica coffee futures  KCc2 were off 0.75 cent or 0.5 percent at $1.4985 per lb at 1400 GMT after dipping to a low of $1.4965, the weakest for the second month since Oct. 7.

March robusta coffee  LRCc2 was down $3 or 0.15 percent at $2,017 a tonne after hitting a two-week low of $2,011.

Coffee exports from Vietnam are forecast to jump to 150,000 tonnes (2.5 million 60-kg bags) this month as the harvest nears its end, traders said, up from 120,000 tonnes estimated for November.

A pick-up in the flow of coffee from Indonesia's main growing area in Sumatra in November has also helped to boost available supplies. "Our forecast for robusta for Q4 is about $2,000 a tonne. We think prices are approaching fundamental levels. Arabica we forecast at around 155 cents per pound for Q4," Upadhyaya said.

Raw sugar futures fell to the lowest level in almost four months has the market resumed its slide after a short-lived rally on Wednesday linked to a surge in crude oil prices.

Dealers said the weakness of Brazil's real currency  BRL= added to the bearish mood, increase the incentive for sales in local currency terms in the world's top producer.

March raws  SBc1 was down 0.36 cents or 1.8 percent at 19.45 cents a lb after slipping to a low of 19.39 cents, its weakest since August 4.

Cocoa futures were mixed with a rise in the value of sterling weighing on London prices.

March London cocoa  LCCc2 was off 8 pounds or 0.4 percent at 1,948 pounds a tonne while March New York cocoa  CCc2 rose $31 or 1.3 percent to $2,420 a tonne.

Source: Reuters.com