Softs: Cocoa slides to 1-1/2 month low, coffee up on Trump tariff threats

Suedzucker AG

13/01/2026 15:27

Recasts, updates prices, adds details

LONDON, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Cocoa futures on the ICE exchange slumped to 1-1/2 month lows on Tuesday on indications demand for the chocolate ingredient remains weak, while coffee rose as dealers eyed renewed tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.

        COCOA

* New York cocoa CCc1 was down 5.3% at $5,154 a metric ton at 1511 GMT, having hit a 1-1/2 month low of $5,063 earlier.

* Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli's LISN.S sales volumes, a measure of cocoa demand, declined around 6% year-on-year in 2025, Zuercher Kantonalbank said Tuesday as the company warned its volumes might remain negative in 2026.

* Concerns over demand weakness continue to weigh on cocoa.

* Dealers expect this Thursday's fourth-quarter Europe grind data, a measure of demand, will come in between -0.3% to -2%, while Friday's Asian grind figures will slide to between -10% to -11.7%.

        * London cocoa LCCc1 fell 3.6% to 3,800 pounds per ton, having hit a 1-1/2 month low of ​​3,738.

        COFFEE

* Arabica coffee KCc1 rose 1.2% to $3.6025 per lb, having settled down 0.4% on Monday.

* U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday any country that does business with Iran will face a 25% tariff on trade with the U.S.

* Top coffee producer Brazil is a big supplier of agricultural goods to Iran, and also accounts for about a third of U.S. coffee imports and traders told Reuters they are eyeing the matter closely.

* Robusta coffee LRCc2 rose 0.8% to $3,949 a ton.

        SUGAR

* Raw sugar SBc1 rose 0.9% to 14.97 cents per lb, having settled down 0.3% on Monday.

* Europe's largest sugar producer Suedzucker SZUG.DE

cut its third-quarter losses from its sugar business to 47 million euros from 95 million euros last year, but warned EU sugar markets are likely to remain depressed

* "The challenge we are facing is sugar production, in the EU and worldwide, is above consumption," a Suedzucker spokesperson said. "No significant earnings recovery in the sugar market is expected."

* The global sugar surplus for the 2025/26 season is projected at 4.7 million metric tons, up 600,000 tons from a previous forecast, consultancy CovrigAnalytics said.

* White sugar LSUc1 gained 1.4% to $429.20 a ton.

 (Reporting by May Angel; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)

 ((may.angel@thomsonreuters.com; x.com/ReutersAngelM; linkedin.com/in/may-angel-03b69a41/;))