Robusta coffee soars to 3-yr high, Japan eyed

NEW YORK/LONDON,  - Robusta futures charged up a 3-year peak Thursday as a shortage of deliverable supplies in the London coffee market stoked a rally which crossed the sea to New York arabica futures.

Sugar surged due to increased cash buying and cocoa was propped up by the violent power struggle which has virtually stopped bean exports in top cocoa producer Ivory Coast.

London's May robusta futures jumped $128 or by 5.15 percent to close at $2,615 per tonne, having hit a lifetime and 3-year top of $2,661. New York's May arabica coffee contract rose 5.55 cents to close at $2.709 a lb.

COFFEE AND COCOA FORECAST FOR TODAY AND YESTERDAY'S MARKET CLOSE REVIEW

NEW YORK,  - Raw sugar, arabica coffee and cocoa futures finished higher on Thursday as the marketextended gains after heavy liquidation this week caused by the nuclear crisis in earthquake-hit Japan.

COFFEE
* May arabica coffee futures rose 5.55 cents to end at $2.709 per lb.
 

* Analysts said the rise was inspired by a rally in the London robusta market to its highest in three years.
 

* Scoville said strong London values hoisted New York "up along with it".