March 5 (Reuters) - Fonterra on Friday raised the outlook for prices it would pay farmers for the 2021 season, for the second time in just over a month, citing strong demand for New Zealand dairy products in China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

The dairy producer lifted its 2020/21 farmgate milk price forecast range to NZ$$7.30-NZ$7.90 per kilogram of milk solids (kgMS), from NZ$6.90-NZ$7.50 per kgMS.

The company last raised the range on Feb. 3.

"China's strong economic recovery, following the initial impact of COVID-19, is flowing through to strong demand for dairy and we've seen this through sales during the Chinese New Year," Chief Executive Officer Miles Hurrell said. (https://bit.ly/3e9nhgx)

However, Fonterra decided to maintain its plus or minus 30 New Zealand cents range on its forecast farmgate milk price, reflecting continued uncertainties in the global dairy market due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Reporting by Arundhati Dutta in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)