Westland Milk Products is bullish about the upcoming season, and forecasting near record milk prices to continue.

Chief Executive Rod Quin assured suppliers at its latest annual meeting next season’s payout will stay above $6/kgMS.

Mr Quin says the outlook is good not just for 2011, but the next several years.

“[We're] not too dissimilar to many other dairy companies. China has obviously been a major market emerging over the last few years, especially for Westland.

"That whole area is seen as a big future for growth, that entire area has been driving dairy demand, certainly more so as the western nations of Europe and the USA have dropped away.”

Westland’s milk payout for the 2009-10 season was $6.45.

It processed 502m litres of milk in the season on the back of increased production and regulated milk supplied by Fonterra.