Brazil, the world's largest coffee producer, may import 600,000 bags of the Robusta variety of the bean, the nation's Foreign Trade Chamber said.

Brazilian roasters have requested approval to import the coffee, which will be processed and then exported, chamber secretary Lytha Spindola said today in Brasilia.

Eoin Treacy's view Robusta coffee has been in a downtrend since the 10-tonne contract replaced the 5-tonne contract almost 2 years ago. The decline has been characterised by a well defined progression of lower or equal rally highs. This downtrend consistency is all the more noteworthy when contrasted with the comparative strength of Arabica coffee.

Robusta coffee found support in the region of the June low two-weeks ago and had rallied to test the progression of lower highs by Wednesday. Thursday's upward dynamic broke the six-month downtrend and is the first higher high in a year. Today's advance pushed above the 200-day moving average for the first time since 2008 in a further bout of short covering. Robusta has already rallied impressively, but a downward dynamic would be required to check the advance. The benefit of the doubt can be given the upside over the medium term provided it can find support at progressively higher levels on future pullbacks.