Jan 20 (Reuters) - Cocoa futures eased in early trading on Friday as lower-than-expected North American grindings growth fuelled demand concerns. Raw sugar and arabica coffee were steady, as investors eyed Greece's debt talks, aimed at helping the country avoid a debt default. COCOA * Cocoa futures on ICE eased with March down $19 or 0.8 percent at $2,301 a tonne at 1020 GMT, as disappointing grind data weighed. * North American cocoa grindings in the fourth quarter of 2011 rose by 1.49 percent from the fourth quarter in 2010, to 118,926 tonnes, coming in below expectations as the number of participating plants went down. * Industry estimates had pegged the grind up roughly 3-5 percent. * Last week, Europe's fourth-quarter 2011 cocoa grind was announced to have climbed 1.8 percent from the fourth-quarter 2010, to 349,355 tonnes, coming in lower than the 4-7 percent expected. * Cocoa arrivals at Ivory Coast's port of San Pedro reached 365,817 tonnes by Jan. 15 since the start of the season in October, according to data from the Coffee and Cocoa Bourse (BCC) obtained by Reuters on Friday. * New York cocoa CCc2 will drop to $2,249 per tonne, as it has completed a wave (2) rebound and is ready to develop a downward wave (3), according to Reuters analyst Wang Tao. * London March cocoa was down 15 pounds or 1 percent to 1,522 pounds per tonne. SUGAR * Raw sugar futures edged up to hit a two-month high, as uncertainty over Brazil's coming crop size underpinned prices. * March raw sugar futures on ICE rose 0.17 cent or 0.7 percent to 24.78 cents a lb. * Sugar and ethanol consultant Job Economia said on Thursday that Brazil's 2012/13 center-south cane output should rise to between 540 million and 560 million tonnes, while Macquarie Bank put the 2012/13 crop in the main center-south cane belt at 520 million tonnes. * Indian sugar futures were steady for a second straight day on Friday as rising supplies from ongoing cane crushing and subdued demand was matched by hopes the government will allow more exports of the sweetener, dealers said. * New York sugar SBc1 will rise to more 25.16 cents per lb, as it has successfully broken above a resistance at 24.56 cents, according to Reuters analyst Wang Tao. * London March white sugar futures were up $0.70 or 1.1 percent at $648.60 per tonne. COFFEE * Arabica coffee prices were steady as the market was underpinned by a lack of high quality beans with key producer Colombia between crops and expected to see annual production remain below average levels. * Benchmark March arabica coffee futures on ICE were down 0.7 cent or 0.3 percent at $2.2595 per lb. * Colombia, one of the world's top coffee exporters, may have to wait four more years to recover output to historical levels when renovated trees reach full production, the coffee federation said on Thursday. * New York coffee KCc2 turns neutral as it's trapped in a range of $2.2645-$2.3080 per lb within an ascending triangle, according to Reuters analyst Wang Tao. * March robusta coffee on Liffe stood $17 or 0.9 percent higher at $1,895 a tonne. The contract hit $1,712 on Jan. 9, the lowest level for the benchmark second month since October 2010. OTHER MARKETS * A rally for European stocks and the euro ran out of steam on Friday, with markets focused on debt talks between Greece and its private creditors that may prove the trigger for the next leg of the euro zone's debt crisis. * Brent crude held steady above $111 on Friday with investors betting oil demand would grow as Europe's funding worries ease amid supply concerns over Iran's tensions with the West. * The euro retreated from a two-week high against the dollar on Friday as some investors took profit on a short-covering rally but looked likely to find support on cautious hopes Greece may be nearing a deal to avoid a chaotic debt default. (Reporting by Sarah McFarlane; Editing by Alison Birrane)

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