Asia Coffee-Sumatran beans at premium, roasters seek bargain

SINGAPORE, April 20, 2011 - Indonesia robusta beans stayed at premiums to London futures as purchases from domestic roasters stirred up trade, while Vietnam could be under pressure from the prospect of a bigger output in the next crop, dealers said on Wednesday.

Sumatran robusta beans Grade 4, 80 defects, were steady at $20 premiums to the July contract . Vietnam's beans were at a discount of $60 to $70 London futures, but farmers were reluctant to sell as they waited for a further rebound in the international market.

NY Coffee and Cocoa market close review for today, April 20, 2011

COFFEE
* July arabica coffee futures climbed 5.20 cents or 1.8  percent to finish at $2.9945 per lb, the highest settlement for  the second position since 1977.
 

* July pierced the key $3/lb level intraday as chart
indicators were bullish after climbing 17 percent in 15 sessions.
 

* Market lifted by the strong commodity complex was buoyed by  lingering worries over the U.S.. fiscal health, which hammered the  dollar and caused investors to look to alternative assets -  traders.

Ghana cocoa purchases up 47 pct

Cocoa output from the world's No. 2 grower Ghana is running 47 percent higher than last year, according to official figures on Tuesday, helping to offset export delays from neighbouring Ivory Coast.

Declared purchases by private cocoa buyers to Ghana's industry regulator Cocobod -- the best reflection of output in the West African state -- reached 765,772 tonnes by April 7 since the start of the season in October.