ASIA COFFEE-Domestic prices fall in Vietnam, new beans hit Indonesian market

By Phuong Nguyen and Mas Alini Arifin

HANOI, May 15 (Reuters) - Coffee prices in Vietnam edged down on Thursday, while discounts narrowed in Indonesia as beans from the new harvest started enter the market, traders said on Thursday.

Farmers in the Central Highlands, Vietnam's largest coffee-growing region, sold beans COFVN-DAK at 125,700-126,200 dong ($4.85-$4.87) per kg, down from last week's 128,000-129,000 dong.

LIFFE Robusta coffee LRCc2 fell 2% to $5,010 a ton as of Wednesday's close, the lowest level in a month.

"Robusta stockpile tracked by ICE witnessed a recovery, putting pressure on prices," said a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City.

"The fact that robusta coffee output for the 2024/25 crop year is expected to increase and new supplies are coming in Indonesia helped ease supply concern and contributed to the decrease in prices," the trader said.

Traders offered 5% black and broken-grade 2 robusta COFVN-G25-SAI at a discount range of $80-$100 to the July LIFFE contract.

Another trader said supplies remained thin at the moment.

"Farmers in Vietnam are hold onto beans considering the current lower price while offers are still limited in Brazil and Indonesia," the second trader said.

In Indonesia, Sumatra robusta coffee beans were offered at $20 discount to the May contract, compared with a $70 discount last week, one trader said.

"Green beans have started to emerge, although it is not much yet, averaging around 1,500 metric tons per day," the trader said.

Another trader said beans were quoted at $70 discount to the July contract, compared to last week's $150 discount.

A third trader said output in the upcoming harvest was estimated to be 5% higher than the previous one.

($1 = 25,915.0000 dong)