Fair Value Measurements (Financial Assets And Liabilities Measured At Fair Value On Recurring Basis) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Assets:
Money market funds	$ 136,528	$ 48,546	$ 100,728
Trading securities associated with deferred compensation plans	18,907	19,803	18,263
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts	239	356	15
Total financial assets measured and reported at fair value	155,674	68,705	119,006
Liabilities:
Guarantees of bank loans to tobacco growers	5,025	5,932	4,837
Interest rate swap agreements	1,889	1,119	820
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts	537	1,352	537
Total financial liabilities measured and reported at fair value	7,451	8,403	6,194
Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Money market funds	136,528	48,546	100,728
Trading securities associated with deferred compensation plans	18,907	19,803	18,263
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts	0	0	0
Total financial assets measured and reported at fair value	155,435	68,349	118,991
Liabilities:
Guarantees of bank loans to tobacco growers	0	0	0
Interest rate swap agreements	0	0	0
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts	0	0	0
Total financial liabilities measured and reported at fair value	0	0	0
Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Money market funds	0	0	0
Trading securities associated with deferred compensation plans	0	0	0
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts	239	356	15
Total financial assets measured and reported at fair value	239	356	15
Liabilities:
Guarantees of bank loans to tobacco growers	0	0	0
Interest rate swap agreements	1,889	1,119	820
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts	537	1,352	537
Total financial liabilities measured and reported at fair value	2,426	2,471	1,357
Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Money market funds	0	0	0
Trading securities associated with deferred compensation plans	0	0	0
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts	0	0	0
Total financial assets measured and reported at fair value	0	0	0
Liabilities:
Guarantees of bank loans to tobacco growers	5,025	5,932	4,837
Interest rate swap agreements	0	0	0
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts	0	0	0
Total financial liabilities measured and reported at fair value	$ 5,025	$ 5,932	$ 4,837

This element represents the aggregate of the assets reported on the balance sheet at period end measured at fair value by the entity. This element is intended to be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item includes currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. It also includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits in that the Company may deposit additional funds at any time and also effectively may withdraw funds at any time without prior notice or penalty. Cash equivalents, excluding items classified as marketable securities, include short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash, and so near their maturity that they present minimal risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Generally, only investments with original maturities of three months or less qualify under that definition. Original maturity means original maturity to the entity holding the investment. For example, both a three-month US Treasury bill and a three-year Treasury note purchased three months from maturity qualify as cash equivalents. However, a Treasury note purchased three years ago does not become a cash equivalent when its remaining maturity is three months.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 8

-Footnote 2

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 7, 8, 9, 10

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Cash

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6506951

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Cash Equivalents

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6507016

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 7

-Footnote 1

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyContractAssetFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyContractsLiabilityFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value as of the balance sheet date of interest rate derivative liabilities, which includes all such derivative instruments in hedging and nonhedging relationships that are recognized as liabilities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 10

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7491637&loc=d3e13433-108611

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

-Paragraph 10

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestRateDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the aggregate of the liabilities reported on the balance sheet at period end measured at fair value by the entity. This element is intended to be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents Trading Securities which consist of all investments in certain debt and equity securities that are bought and held principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term (thus held for only a short period of time) or for which an entity has elected the fair value option. Trading generally reflects active and frequent buying and selling, and trading securities are generally used with the objective of generating profits on short-term differences in price, but this category of investments may also include items which are not intended to be sold in the near term or for which the fair value option has been elected.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7534914&loc=d3e22054-111558

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 12

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Trading Securities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6526789

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TradingSecuritiesFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Guarantees of bank loans to tobacco growers fair value disclosure

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	uvv_GuaranteesOfBankLoansToTobaccoGrowersFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	uvv_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant