The low-carb fad has faded, and last week's bankruptcy filing by Atkins Nutritionals Inc. appears to prove that.

Two major Florida agricultural products, sugar and orange juice, are expected to benefit from the decline in popularity of low-carbohydrate eating plans such as the South Beach diet that were in vogue over the past few years.

"My guess is the market for sugar has grown a little bit with the fading of the Atkins and South Beach," said Robert Coker, senior vice president at U.S. Sugar Corp. in Clewiston.

But Coker said any growth in the market for sugar is likely to go to foreign members of the Central American Free Trade Agreement nations rather than domestic producers.

CAFTA, signed into law last week, allows sugar producers in the treaty nations greater access to the U.S. market.

Initially, the agreement allows the five Central American countries and the Dominican Republic to import another 110,000 tons a year into the U.S.

"By itself, CAFTA will not ruin the domestic sugar industry, but it will have a significant impact on all our businesses," Coker said. "If CAFTA is the precedent for future trade agreements, there will be dire consequences for the U.S. sugar industry."

Orange juice sales also have suffered under the low-carb phenomenon.

However, when both food service and retail orange juice sales are included, sales are up 1 percent this year over last, said Andrew Meadows, spokesman for the Florida Department of Citrus in Lakeland.

"We think people are starting to differentiate between good carbs and bad carbs," Meadows said. "If you are looking for a good carb with vitamins and minerals, that's orange juice."