By Claudia Carpenter Nov. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Sugar rose for a third day in London on speculation India, the world’s biggest importer, will take advantage of last month’s price drop and boost purchases. India may import 6 million or 7 million metric tons of sugar in the season started last month, up from 3.5 million tons last season, according to Stefan Uhlenbrock, an analyst at F.O. Licht GmbH in Ratzeburg, Germany. Prices dropped 7.3 percent last month, the most in a year. “It could be possible that they purchased some more cargoes,” Uhlenbrock said. “They are running out of stocks.” White, or refined, sugar for March delivery climbed as much as $15.30, or 2.6 percent, to $606.40 a ton, the most since $12.10, or 2.1 percent, to $603.20 a metric ton by 10:08 a.m. on London’s Liffe exchange. India will remain the world’s biggest buyer for a second year in the 2009-10 season with a shortfall of 8 million tons after the driest monsoon since 1972 this year shrunk the area planted with cane, Czarnikow Group Ltd. said last month. Raw sugar futures in New York gained 2.5 percent to 23.37 cents a pound. Cocoa futures in London erased an earlier gain and fell 0.1 percent to 2,125 pounds ($3,489) a ton. Robusta coffee climbed 0.9 percent to $1,444 a ton.

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