Consolidated Statements Of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Sales and other operating revenues		$ 2,227,153	$ 2,033,947	$ 2,071,218
Costs and expenses
Cost of goods sold		1,820,562	1,661,999	1,676,539
Selling, general and administrative expenses		225,118	201,123	211,919
Restructuring and impairment costs		20,304	0	4,359
Operating income		161,169	170,825	178,401
Equity in pretax earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	[1]	5,299	9,125	5,774
Other non-operating income (expense)		832	662	(50)
Interest income		1,532	1,686	1,397
Interest expense		17,510	15,621	16,284
Income before income taxes		151,322	166,677	169,238
Income taxes		41,188	50,509	56,732
Net income		110,134	116,168	112,506
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries		(6,013)	(10,506)	(6,202)
Net income attributable to Universal Corporation		104,121	105,662	106,304
Dividends on Universal Corporation convertible perpetual preferred stock		0	0	(11,061)
Cost in excess of carrying value on conversion/repurchase of convertible perpetual preferred stock		0	0	(74,353)
Earnings available to Universal Corporation common shareholders		$ 104,121	$ 105,662	$ 20,890
Earnings per share attributable to Universal Corporation common shareholders:
Basic		$ 4.14	$ 4.18	$ 0.89
Diluted		$ 4.11	$ 4.14	$ 0.88
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic		25,129,192	25,274,975	23,433,860
Diluted		25,330,437	25,508,144	23,770,088

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