Report: Iowa gas prices up 9 percent in March

State energy officials say that decreased oil imports and spring break travel may be at the root of a 9 percent rise in Iowa gas prices over the last few months.

The average Iowa gas price was $2.67 per gallon on Monday, according to the Iowa Office of Energy Independence, which conducts the state's monthly energy price survey. That was an increase of 22 cents, or 9 percent, from the average price of $2.45 per gallon on Feb. 17.

Diesel prices in Iowa increased by 4.8 percent, or 13 cents per gallon on average, to reach $2.86 on Monday.

The increase in Iowa gas prices tracks closely with a 9.6 percent increase in crude oil prices over the past month. One closely watched crude oil bench market, West Texas Cushing Sweet Crude, rose 9.6 percent to $74.13 per barrel. It is now 73 percent higher than in March 2009.

The cost of natural gas decreased 23 percent from February, to $4.35 per decatherm.

Propane cost an average of $1.73 per gallon across the state, a decrease of 10 cents from February. Heating oil prices rose 20 cents per gallon, to an average of $2.49.