Vietnam coffee supplies dwindle after sell-off in recent weeks

By Phuong Nguyen and Mas Alina Arifin HANOI (Reuters) - Robusta coffee supplies in Vietnam have tightened after strong sales in the past two weeks as farmers were reluctant to sell in anticipation of higher prices, while prices were "unpredictable" in Indonesia, traders said on Thursday. Farmers in the Central Highlands, Vietnam's biggest coffee-growing region, sold the beans at 132,200-133,500 dong ($5.18-$5.23), steady from 132,000-133,000 dong last week. London-listed Robusta coffee for May delivery settled up $25 at $5,746 per metric tonne on Wednesday. “Farmers are reluctant to sell again. Some expect prices to rise to 140,000-150,000 dong per kg,” said a trader in the coffee belt. “But Indonesia’s harvest season is coming up, and with the remaining beans from the current crop still plentiful, farmers will eventually have to increase sales.” Another trader in the same region said the weather was still favourable and not too dry for the trees. A Reuters poll released ...