There are two alternatives to meat products. Plant- based meat substitutes and lab-grown or cultivated meat ( here no animals are reared for consumption).

Plant-based meat mimics meat derived from animals. Here the resources used are soya beans, potatoes, peas, beetroots, and other substances. Beyond Meat and Impossible Food from the US produced plant-based meat alternatives.

Singapore is the first country which has allowed sale of lab-grown meat. Foetal bovine serum (FBS) is commonly used as low-cost growth supplement. Researchers are working on how to to dispense with FBS completely to produce meat which is completely animal-free. Cost is a big constraint. Upsid Foods has been successful in lowering costs, and wants to bring it on par with the cost of natural meat or even lower than that.

Ahimsa Food and Good Dot in India are working in the field of plant-based meat products.

When such substitutes will flourish, meat business will be curelty-free, environment-friendly and healthy.

The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad is working on cell-based meat products.

In India, the full evolution of this sector may take a decade or more.