October raw sugar was down 0.13 cent, or 1.1%, at 11.90 cents per lb by 1425 GMT.
The market continued to draw support from low exchange stocks, which remain around a 20-year low.
*December New York cocoa was up $15, or 0.6%, at $2,577 a tonne.
Brazilian mills continue to prioritize sugar production at the expense of ethanol, since the sweetener is currently providing higher financial returns.
Ethanol sales are lagging last year's levels. Mills sold 2.69 billion liters in August, 13% less on a year-on-year basis.