ICE raw sugar prices edged up on Wednesday as funds continued to scale back short positions against a backdrop of tightening supplies, while coffee futures were also slightly higher.
March raw sugar rose 0.02 cents, or 0.2%, to 12.80 cents per lb at 1537 GMT.
Fund short-covering amid tightening supplies has provided support to sugar, but high stocks in India and a weakening real are keeping a firm cap on gains.
The International Sugar Organization on Tuesday raised its forecast for a projected global sugar deficit in the 2019/20 season to 6.12 million tonnes from 4.76 million previously.
The inter-governmental body also said preliminary indications suggested a global deficit of 3.5 million tonnes for 2020/21.
"The ongoing deficit phase should lend buoyancy to the sugar price," Commerzbank said in a market note.
"High Indian reserves that could result in exports to the global market are likely to slow the price surge, however, as the weak Brazilian real probably will too," it added.
The real hit its lowest ever level versus the dollar on Tuesday, raising the value of dollar-priced sugar in local currency terms and tempting producers to sell.
Elsewhere, the US government on Monday authorized the import of an additional 100,000 short tons of Mexican refined sugar after extreme weather damaged the sugar beet crop.
"While we continue to hold a mildly constructive view on global sugar prices, we do believe the threat of a large amount of Indian sugar exports will likely cap the market," said ING in a note.
March white sugar was up $0.60, or 0.2%, to $343.20 a tonne.
March arabica coffee futures were up 0.35 cents, or 0.3%, at $1.1715 per lb, edging up towards a one-year high set earlier this week.
Arabica is benefiting overall from declines in ICE-certified stocks, which are near their lowest in around a year and a half.
A global deficit is widely forecast in the 2019/20 season, an off-year in top producer Brazil's biennial crop cycle.
March robusta rose $3, or 0.2%, to $1,394 a tonne.
March New York cocoa was down $66, or 2.5%, at $2,590 a tonne, as the market's retreat from a recent 1-1/2 year high gathered momentum.
Dealers said there remained however some concern about nearby supply tightness, with port arrivals in top producer Ivory Coast running behind last year's pace.
March London cocoa was down 39 pounds, or 2.0%, at 1,900 a tonne.
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