Commitments And Other Matters (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2010
Commitments And Other Matters [Line Items]
Goodwill, Written off Related to Sale of Business Unit				$ 5,800,000
Commitments relating to agricultural materials,capital expenditures					58,000,000
Tobacco purchase contracts, current					600,000,000
Total amount of advances funded towards tobacco purchase					135,000,000
Tobacco purchase contracts					614,000,000
Other contingent liabilities					4,000,000
Face amount of guarantee including unpaid accrued interest					26,000,000	73,000,000
Percentage of guarantees expire within one year					90.00%
Company total exposure under guarantees					20,000,000
Fair value of the guarantees					6,000,000	21,000,000
Due period of accounts receivables					30
Reversal of statutory severance liability			4,000,000
Assigned tobacco production contracts, number of farmers		8,100
Cash proceeds from assignment of farmer contracts and sale of related assets		34,900,000			0	34,946,000	0
Gain from assignment of farmer contracts and sale of assets		19,400,000		19,400,000	0	19,368,000	0
Proceeds from insurance settlement, investing activities			9,900,000		9,933,000	0	0
Gain on property and equipment fire loss insurance settlement			9,600,000		9,592,000	0	0
Gain on fire loss insurance settlement			6,900,000
Gain on business interruption insurance settlement			2,100,000			4,800,000
Cash received in property exchange	9,400,000
Number of warehouses acquired in property exchange	2
Fair value of land and buildings acquired in property exchange	11,200,000
Gain on sale/exchange of property	11,100,000				11,111,000	0	0
Allowance for doubtful accounts					8,300,000	5,600,000
Philip Morris International, Inc [Member]
Commitments And Other Matters [Line Items]
Revenues from customers					610,000,000	750,000,000	700,000,000
Imperial Tobacco Group, PLC [Member]
Commitments And Other Matters [Line Items]
Revenues from customers					360,000,000	320,000,000	250,000,000
Japan Tobacco Inc [Member]
Commitments And Other Matters [Line Items]
Revenues from customers					$ 213,000,000	$ 340,000,000	$ 575,000,000