LITTLE FALLS — The high price and low supply of corn has idled an ethanol plant in Little Falls.

The Central Minnesota Ethanol Co-op has suspended operations. The plant’s general manager, Dana Persson, said that until it can buy corn or sell ethanol at a better price, it’s to their advantage to stop production.

The co-op began operating in 1999 and has produced about 21 million gallons of ethanol a year. The cash price for a bushel of corn is currently $7.27 compared to $4.87 a bushel in November of 2010.