Dec. 1 (Bloomberg) -- World coffee exports jumped 8.6 percent in October from a year earlier as Vietnam, the world's second-biggest producer, bolstered shipments, the International Coffee Organization said.

World exports reached 7.02 million bags (421,000 metric tons) in October, compared with 6.46 million bags in the same month of 2003, the London-based organization said on its Web site.

Vietnam sold 1.095 million bags abroad in the month, 42 percent more than a year earlier, it said. Brazil, the world's top coffee grower, boosted shipments by 6.8 percent to 2.53 million tons.

World exports may continue to increase as prices for the commodity rebound. The futures price of Robusta variety coffee on the London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange has surged 30 percent from a two-year low of $561 a ton on Oct. 29. Arabica prices on the New York Board of Trade have soared 31 percent in the same period.

Arabica accounted for 68 percent of world exports in October 2004, or 4.79 million bags, a 10 percent increase from a year earlier, the organization said. Robusta exports gained 5.4 percent to 2.23 million bags.

World exports in the 12 months ended Oct. 31 rose 1 percent to 88.05 million bags, from 87.11 million bags in the same period a year earlier, the organization said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jason Gale in Ho Chi Minh City j.gale@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: December 1, 2004 05:29 EST