New Delhi, March 7 : PETA India on Monday appealed to the Centre to launch and support pro-vegan collaborations with local farmers and entrepreneurs to meet the soaring global consumer demand for vegan food, clothing and more. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has written to Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal urging his ministry to seize the opportunity. The pro-animal group has also sent similar letters to state and union territory officials. Highlighting that the global vegan food market is expected to reach USD 31.4 billion by 2026; the global vegan leather market was estimated at USD 37.90 billion in 2020, and the market for plant milk exceeded USD 12 billion in 2019, the letter stated that various states are already taking steps to benefit animals, the environment, and their citizens. "And a unified and comprehensive pro-vegan initiative from the national government is now imperative," it said. It quoted several examples from across India such as the Thanjavur-based National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management developing millet-based ice creams; Tamil Nadu and Kerala farmers earning USD 19.8 million a year from the cultivation of jackfruit, a popular meat substitute; and Meghalaya government planning to encourage leather production from pineapple plants. Other plants commonly grown in India, such as apples, grapes, coconuts, and mushrooms, are also being used to produce leather, and a company based in Kanpur is even using discarded temple flowers. Silk and other materials are also being made from banana and pineapple fibres. "From fruit-harvested leather to 'meat' made of jackfruit, the global vegan market is on a rapid rise. With government help, Indian farmers and entrepreneurs can benefit hugely from the tremendous interest in a vegan lifestyle," PETA India Foods and Nutrition Specialist Dr Kiran Ahuja said. India, as one of the world's most vegetarian-friendly economies, is uniquely positioned to become a world leader in the global vegan economy, thereby helping transition the world away from animal exploitation and environmental damage and towards creative vegan solutions that are already in demand, a release from PETA India said. /IANS