Guarantees, Other Contingent Liabilities, And Other Matters (Details)	3 Months Ended					6 Months Ended					0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended			0 Months Ended		3 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)		Jun. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2010 USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2010 USD ($)		Mar. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 08, 2010 Spain [Member] EUR (€)	Sep. 30, 2004 Spain [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2004 Spain [Member] EUR (€)	Sep. 30, 2010 Spain [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2010 Spain [Member] EUR (€)	Oct. 31, 2004 Spain [Member] Deltafina's [Member] EUR (€)	Oct. 31, 2004 Spain [Member] Tabacos Espanoles S.A [Member] EUR (€)	Oct. 31, 2004 Spain [Member] Five Companies Active In The Raw Spanish Tobacco Processing Market [Member] EUR (€)	Sep. 09, 2011 Italy [Member] EUR (€)	Nov. 15, 2005 Italy [Member] EUR (€)	Sep. 30, 2011 Italy [Member] Deltafina's [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Brazil For Banking Facilities Of Farmers [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 Brazil For Banking Facilities Of Farmers [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2010 Brazil For Banking Facilities Of Farmers [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2011 Fire Loss [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2011 Business Interruption [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 Business Interruption [Member] USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Company total exposure under guarantees																						$ 34,000,000
Guarantee face amount including unpaid accrued interest																						47,000,000	73,000,000	108,000,000
Fair value of the guarantees																						13,000,000	21,000,000	21,000,000
Percentage of guarantees expiring within one year																						96.00%
Percentage of guarantees expiring within five years																						100.00%
Other contingent liabilities																						4,000,000
Charge recorded to accrue European Commission fines	49,091,000	[1]		(7,445,000)	[1]	49,091,000	[1]	(7,445,000)	[1]			14,900,000	12,000,000
Expected resolution time for appeal																					2
Fines imposed by European Commission																11,880,000	108,000	20,000,000	30,000,000	30,000,000
Accumulated interest on European Commission fine																			5,900,000
General Court decision reduced European Commission fine amount											6,120,000
Not justified percentage of European Commission's corresponding increase of the underlying fine											50.00%
Reversed European Commission fine previously recorded														7,400,000	5,760,000
Accrued interest income returned on the European Commission fine escrow funds														1,200,000
Advances to suppliers, current and non-current	163,000,000			220,000,000		163,000,000		220,000,000		271,000,000
Valuation allowance amount related to advances to suppliers	68,000,000			59,000,000		68,000,000		59,000,000		74,900,000
Provision for loss on uncollectible advances to suppliers						6,400,000		7,400,000
Proceeds from insurance settlement, investing activities						9,933,000																			9,900,000
Gain on property and equipment fire loss insurance settlement			9,600,000			9,592,000
Proceeds from insurance settlement, operating activities																										6,900,000
Gain on business interruption insurance settlement																										2,100,000	4,800,000
Reversal of statutory severance liability due to law change in Malawi			4,000,000
Aggregate balance of recoverable value added tax credits	79,000,000					79,000,000
Valuation allowance on recoverable value added tax credits	24,000,000					24,000,000
Brazil audit assessment for tax, penalties, and interest on recoverable value added tax credits			26,000,000
Liability recorded for Brazil audit assessment for tax, penalties, and interest on recoverable value added tax credits	$ 0					$ 0

[1] Item is not included in segment operating income, but is included in consolidated operating income.