Consolidated Statements Of Income And Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Sales and other operating revenues		$ 284,622	$ 295,475
Costs and expenses
Cost of goods sold		230,765	243,278
Selling, general and administrative expenses		47,302	60,199
Operating income (loss)		6,555	(8,002)
Equity in pretax earnings (loss) of unconsolidated affiliates	[1]	(435)	(130)
Interest income		670	363
Interest expense		3,932	4,054
Income (loss) before income taxes and other items		2,858	(11,823)
Income taxes		(463)	(4,319)
Net income (loss)		3,321	(7,504)
Less: net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries		256	2,028
Net income (loss) attributable to Universal Corporation		3,577	(5,476)
Dividends on Universal Corporation convertible perpetual preferred stock		0	(3,687)
Earnings (loss) available to Universal Corporation common shareholders		$ 3,577	$ (9,163)
Earnings (loss) per share attributable to Universal Corporation common shareholders:
Basic		$ 0.14	$ (0.40)
Diluted		$ 0.14	$ (0.40)
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic		25,407,293	22,734,225
Diluted		25,632,157	22,734,225
Total comprehensive income (loss)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of income taxes		$ 9,109	$ (12,330)
Less: comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of income taxes		304	2,245
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Universal Corporation, net of income taxes		$ 9,413	$ (10,085)
Dividends declared per common share		$ 0.54	$ 0.53

[1] Equity in pretax earnings (loss) of unconsolidated affiliates is included in segment operating income (loss) (Other Tobacco Operations segment), but is reported below consolidated operating income (loss) and excluded from that total in the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income