For the first time in more than three years, MFA Oil is charging more for ethanol-blended fuel than regular gas at its Break Time convenience stores. MFA, headquartered in Columbia, announced in February of 2003 it would charge the same for both blends, an effort to boost ethanol sales. Marketing Director Tom May says demand for ethanol is up as large cities switch to it to meet new pollution guidelines. May calls this a short-term spike and expects it to drop by the time Missouri mandates a 10-percent ethanol blend in 2008, with a catch – the mandate holds only if the ethanol blend isn’t more expensive than regular gas. May says the price increase doesn’t affect E-85, which MFA sells at 20-percent below regular gas prices.
