OREANDA-NEWS. March 11, 2015. Raw sugar futures slid on Tuesday to the lowest since 2010 and arabica coffee prices drifted towards a 13-month low on currency weakness in Brazil. Cocoa prices were little changed, underpinned by concerns over output in second-biggest grower Ghana.

Raw sugar futures slipped to within sight of key support at 13 cents a lb and risked breaking below the lowest levels seen in nearly six years.

"The key reason for sugar price weakness is the weakening real," said Claudiu Covrig, senior agricultural analyst with data provider Platts Kingsman.

"Also, investment funds are flying away from commodities and into equities."

Front-month May raw sugar futures on ICE eased to 13.03 cents a lb, the lowest since May 2010, and later traded at 13.07 cents, down 0.2 cents, or 1.5 percent, at 1133 GMT.

Expectations of a bigger Brazilian cane crop in 2015/16 than in the previous year also weighed on prices.

May white sugar was down \\$2.20, or 0.6 percent, to \\$368.60 a tonne.

The weak real also dragged on arabica coffee futures.

Brazilian producers sought to lock in local currency gains from sales of dollar-denominated sugar and coffee. Brazil is the world's No.1 sugar and coffee producer. May arabica coffee futures were down 1.75 cents, or 1.3 percent, at \\$1.3525 per lb, within sight of last Tuesday's 13-month low of \\$1.2888.

May robusta coffee was down \\$7, or 0.4 percent, at \\$1,864 a tonne. Dealers spoke of well-financed Vietnamese growers' reluctance to sell robusta because of low prices.

"On the downside, a continuation of selling pressure in breach of support now around \\$1,860 would see futures look to target levels towards \\$1,850," said Kash Kamal, senior research analyst with Sucden Financial.

May London cocoa rose by 2 pounds, or 0.1 percent, to 2,020 pounds a tonne.

New York May cocoa was down \\$6, or 0.2 percent, at \\$2,928 a tonne.