Time-related underemployment in Indian agro-based industry during COVID-19.

This article examines the extent of time-related underemployment—defined as working fewer than 48 hours per week while being willing and available to work additional hours—in the Textile and Food and Beverage Industries, two major agro-based sectors in Punjab, India, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a survey of 500 middle- and lower-level executives, the study found underemployment rates of 3.08% in the Textile Industry and 5.00% in the Food and Beverage Industry, with the majority of underemployed workers classified as moderately underemployed. The rate of unutilized labor resources due to underemployment was slightly higher in the Textile Industry (9.9%) than in the Food and Beverage Industry (9.2%), though differences were statistically insignificant. The findings highlight the need for targeted labor market policies and reforms to optimize workforce utilization and support economic recovery amid ongoing challenges.