A significant growth in iron ore loading has helped South Eastern Railway (SER) register nearly 6 per cent growth in earnings from freight traffic during the first nine months of this fiscal.

According to a spokesperson, SER loaded 50.33 million tonnes of iron ore (main commodity) between April and December 2012, as against 46.85 mt during the same period last fiscal, thereby registering a growth of 7.43 per cent.

As a result, SER posted nearly 6 per cent increase in freight earnings to Rs 6,397.94 crore during the period, as against Rs 6,040.84 crore in the year-ago period, the spokesperson added.

In all, SER loaded 92.16 mt of freight between April and December 2012, as against 88.14 mt during the same period last fiscal.

SER reported a positive growth in loading of coal, other raw materials to steel plants, pig iron and finished steel, cement, food grains and fertilisers, the spokesperson said.