Innovative c Products by Suchindra Dilumge, Not Linked to Akuressa Co-op or NPP

දිනපතා සත්‍ය කරුණු දැන ගැනීමට අපගේ WhatsApp සමුහයටමෙතනින් එකතුවන්න.

In Sri Lanka, some individuals showcase remarkable creativity by developing innovative products. Unfortunately, there is a recurring tendency for these innovators to face mockery within social media platforms rather than receive the encouragement they deserve.

Our investigation sheds light on one such incident, aiming to understand and address these talented individuals' challenges as they strive to contribute their inventive ideas to society.

Social Media Posts

A viral social media post claims that the research unit of Akuressa Coop, led by NPP, has developed a novel wood apple mixed chocolate product.

Facebook | Archived

Users commented on it like below.

We decided to do a fact-check on this.

Fact Check

A reverse image search confirmed that the youth in the viral photo was, in fact, Suchindra Dilumge, a fashion design graduate from Moratuwa University, who had developed this innovative idea.

In an interview with the state-owned Sinhala daily, Dinamina, Suchindra shares his transition from the apparel sector to food production during Sri Lanka's economic crisis. He explains that a powder is initially made by dehydrating the wood apple. Then, it’s mixed in a specific ratio with Cocoa to produce the wood apple chocolate.

Suchindra hopes to get the standard certificate and patent for his new Wood apple chocolate product and plans to introduce a few similar products. He intends to promote the wood apple chocolate product to the local and export markets. Archived

In a subsequent Facebook post, Dilumge explicitly stated that he is not aligned with any political party. He addressed the false social media posts, emphasising that they are inaccurate, and highlighted that his chocolate innovation resulted from extensive research and experimentation.

Dilumge's Facebook post also underscores the falsehood of the claims circulating on social media. We found that his production company, Suchee Holdings, is based in Katugastota, Kandy, and not in Akuressa, as falsely suggested in the misleading social media posts.

Contrary to the misleading social media posts, there is no evidence linking Akuressa Coop or NPP to Dilumge's woodapple chocolate. The Chairman of Akuressa Coop confirms that they have not produced any such chocolate product. Akuressa Coop has not produced such a product, and the misinformation disassociates Dilumge from the credit he deserves.

Similarly, a series of misleading posts linking to NPP-led Co-ops have been shared over the past few weeks, and some of the fact checks by the Factcrescendo team can be read below.

Altered image goes viral as” Samoopa Cola”, Created by NPP-led Mawathagama Co-op!

Fact Check: Misleading Claims Surrounding Drone Insecticide Spraying in Medirigiriya, Sri Lanka

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Conclusion:

In conclusion, the wood apple chocolate innovation results from Suchindra Dilumge's entrepreneurial spirit and expertise, and there is no link to Akuressa Co-op or NPP. We encourage social media users to focus on accurate information, acknowledge the achievements of individuals like Suchindra Dilumge, and verify details before sharing to avoid the spread of misinformation.