LONDON, Sept 27 (Reuters) - ICE sugar and arabica coffee futures inched up in early trading on Thursday, boosted by a weaker dollar, while cocoa was little changed with a focus on development of the main harvests in West Africa. Raw sugar futures were supported by imports of sugar by the world's second-largest grower India. However, dealers said that expectations of a big global sugar surplus and a rapid cane crush in Brazil will cap the upside in sugar futures. European shares rose on Thursday, recovering some of their poise in the aftermath of the previous session's sharp falls bolstered by a strong rally in China, though end-quarter window dressing was likely to make trade choppy. SUGAR * ICE October raw sugar futures were up 0.09 cent or 0.5 percent at 19.66 cents per lb at 0902 GMT, trading above a two-year low of 18.81 cents touched on Sept. 6. * New York first-month sugar would drop into a range of 16.17-16.48 cents per lb over the next three months, as a downtrend from the Feb. high of 36.08 cents has not completed, according to Reuters market analyst Wang Tao. * China's sugar output will reach 14 million tonnes in the 2012/13 grinding season, a rise of about 22 percent from a year earlier, as farmers increased planting areas and the crop benefited from good weather, Liu Hande, vice chairman of the China Sugar Association, said on Thursday. * China has set a sugar import quota of 1.945 million tonnes for 2013, unchanged from this year, the commerce ministry said on Thursday. * India has allowed millers to sell 4 million tonnes of non-levy sugar in October and November, a government statement said on Thursday, higher than the average monthly allocation of around 1.7 million tonnes as the country heads into the peak festive season. * December white sugar on Liffe rose $5.80 or 1 percent to $576.10 per tonne. * British sweeteners and starches maker Tate & Lyle Plc expects a small rise in full-year profits, as its food ingredients gain from a trend towards healthier eating, although first-half profits will be flat due to one-off factors. COCOA * ICE December cocoa was down $5 or 0.2 percent at $2,464 per tonne. * New York second-month cocoa may retest a resistance at $2,697 per tonne over the next three months, a break above which will lead to a further gain to $2,903, according to Reuters market analyst Wang Tao. * Light rainfall and abundant sunshine across most of Ivory Coast's main cocoa regions last week will encourage healthy output as the new harvesting season opens, farmers and analysts said on Tuesday. * Liffe December cocoa was down 4 pounds or 0.3 percent at 1,593 pounds per tonne. COFFEE * ICE December arabica coffee futures were up 0.6 cent or 0.4 percent at $1.7005 per lb. * New York second month coffee is expected to rise to $2.1075 per lb over the next three months, as a long-term uptrend is establishing, according to Reuters market analyst Wang Tao. * Vietnam's coffee exports in the 2011/2012 crop year ending this month are estimated to have reached a record high 1.6 million tonnes, or 26.7 million bags, up 24 percent from a year ago, the government said on Thursday. * November robusta coffee futures firmed $5 or 0.2 percent to $2,135 a tonne. MARKETS * European shares and the euro reclaimed some of the previous day's sharp losses early on Thursday, amid hopes Spain's budget could nudge Madrid towards accepting a rescue programme and allow the ECB to launch its new bond buying plan. (Reporting by David Brough; Editing by Alison Birrane)

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