South China's Hainan Province has taken measures to stop cowpeas contaminated by toxic pesticides from entering the market, officials said Saturday.

The province announced nine emergency measures, including setting up 24-hour cowpea check points at the island's harbors and launching a comprehensive inspection on the use of pesticides, Zhao Yongwang, spokesman with the provincial agricultural department, said.

Government employees who fail to fulfill their duty to stop the toxic cowpeas from entering the market will be immediately suspended from their posts, Chen Cheng, Hainan's deputy governor, said.

Earlier this month, about 3.5 tonnes of Hainan cowpeas were found tainted with a poisonous pesticide called Isocarbophos in Wuhan, capital city of Hubei Province.

Wuhan destroyed all 3.5 tonnes of the cowpeas and prohibiting further Hainan-produced cow peas from entering the city's markets.

Tests on Hainan cowpeas were later carried out nationwide. Toxic cowpeas were found in central Hubei, southern Guangdong, eastern Anhui and Jiangsu provinces.

Local food safety authority has urged strict inspection and tests on fruits and vegetables sold on local markets.