BEIJING, Feb. 28 -- China's top economic planner announced on Saturday that it will allow gas producers and major factory users to price fuel on their own, kicking off a natural gas price reform.

The National Development and Reform Commission said in a circular that industrial end users may negotiate gas prices with the country's major energy companies starting April 1.

Fertilizer producers are excluded from the scheme.

Currently, gas prices are controlled by national and local economic planning bodies.