Sugar prices gained the most in three weeks on signs that demand may increase in China, the world’s second-biggest consumer. Coffee climbed to a one-month high, and cocoa advanced. Zhang Sang, an analyst at Huatai Great Wall Futures Co., told Xinhua News Agency that China may have a shortfall of 2 million metric tons of sugar this year. The nation’s economic planning agency has auctioned reserve supplies to curb rising prices, Xinhua reported. Futures in New York have jumped 48 percent in the past year. “If the Chinese are coming up that short, then demand is going to be a little better,” Jack Scoville, a vice president at Price Futures Group in Chicago, said in a telephone interview. Raw sugar for October delivery gained 0.56 cent, or 2 percent, to settle at 28.04 cents a pound at 2 p.m. on ICE Futures U.S. in New York, the biggest advance since July 22. India is the leading sugar consumer. Arabica-coffee futures for December delivery rose 5.6 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $2.55 a pound on ICE. Earlier, the price reached $2.555, the highest for a most-active contract since July 15. Cocoa futures for December delivery climbed $58, or 2 percent, to $2,989 a ton in New York, the fourth straight advance and the biggest since July 13. The commodity has gained 3.5 percent in the past year. On NYSE Liffe in London, sugar, coffee and cocoa advanced. To contact the reporter on this story: Justin Doom in New York at jdoom1@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Steve Stroth at sstroth@bloomberg.net

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