SOFTS-Cocoa soars on Ivory Coast crop worries, technical buying

LONDON, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Cocoa futures traded on ICE soared on Monday as trader buying on Ivory Coast crop concerns caused a breach of technical trade levels, prompting funds to pile in.

COCOA

* New York cocoa CCc2 rose 9.1% to $8,700 a metric ton at 1310 GMT, having gained 6% last week.

* London cocoa LCCc2 ​​rose 8.3% to 5,865 pounds a metric ton, having gained 1% last week.

* A dealer said the concerns over top producer Ivory Coast's upcoming crop are not new and the price reaction is exaggerated due to illiquid trading conditions.

* "Industry bought on the open this morning in very illiquid conditions. That triggered systematic fund buying (which is) completely throwing New York out of wack," he said.

* Arrivals of cocoa at ports in Ivory Coast were down 2% between Oct 1 and Aug 10 versus the same period a year ago, exporters estimated.

* Another dealer said the disproportionate gains in New York versus London is likely due to uncertainty over U.S. tariff policy.

* In news, global energy and commodities trader Hartree Partners is in talks to acquire French agro-industrial firm Touton, which trades nearly 10% of the world's cocoa, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

* The talks come as cocoa trading costs soar amid historically elevated prices, with cocoa trading on ICE still largely illiquid and volatile.

COFFEE

* Arabica coffee futures KCc1 rose 1% to $3.0545 per lb, having hit a three-week high of $3.10.

* Dealers said despite fears over falling temperatures, there was no frost in top producer Brazil at the weekend, and the weather is expected to moderate in the days ahead.

* Elsewhere, the market remains frozen due to the "constant surprises and provocations coming out of Washington" as regards tariff policy, said broker and consultant Michael J Nugent.

* "A strong argument can be made that a top is in place, but a bear market this is not. (Still) nobody wants to stick their neck out (and) the result is a market coiled in quiet frustration," he said.

* Robusta coffee LRCc2 rose 0.5% to $3,528 a metric ton.

SUGAR

* Raw sugar SBc1 ​​​​​rose 1.2% to 16.45 cents per lb, having gained 0.4% last week.

* White sugar LSUc1 rose 0.5% to $473.50 a ton.