ASIA COFFEE-Domestic prices steady in Vietnam following US tariff pause

By Phuong Nguyen and Mas Alini Arifin

HANOI, April 10 (Reuters) - Coffee bean prices in Vietnam, the world's biggest robusta producer, held steady on Thursday after the U.S. administration's decision to pause reciprocal tariffs on most countries, while prices in Indonesia flipped to premium.

Farmers in the Central Highlands, Vietnam's largest coffee-growing region, sold beans COFVN-DAK at 117,300-119,000 dong ($4.55-$4.62) per kg, little changed from Wednesday but halting losses suffered earlier this week. However, this was down from last week's 132,500-133,600 dong.

"Coffee transactions have almost frozen in the past days. No one is buying or selling," said a trader based in the coffee belt.

"Trade may slightly resume in the next couple of days, but uncertainties remain ahead."

Another trader based in the same region said exports to the U.S. accounted for 5% to 6% of Vietnam's total exports.

"The U.S. market is not really big, but still an important market for Vietnamese beans in general. The challenge now is to keep our share of our existing markets," the second trader said.

LIFFE robusta coffee for July LRCc2 closed at $4,972 per metric ton on Wednesday, compared with $5,400 per ton a week ago.

In a weekly note before U.S. President Donald Trump's surprise 90-day pause on reciprocal duties on most countries, the Mercantile Exchange of Vietnam said that both businesses and farmers had already prepared for the tariffs and stayed calm.

Vietnam exported 493,000 tons of coffee in the January-March period, down 15.8% from the same period last year, government data showed.

Meanwhile, Indonesia exported 29,852 tons of Sumatra robusta beans in February, nearly 10 times the 3,341.81 tons shipped a year ago, data from the local trade office showed.

Sumatra robusta beans were offered at a $160 premium to the May contract, rising from a $70 discount to the April contract two weeks ago, a trader said.

Another trader said on the July contract, the beans were offered at a premium of $180, compared with an $80 discount.

($1 = 25,780.0000 dong)