Consolidating Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 23, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012	Mar. 24, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 101,067	$ 91,579	$ 105,736	$ 122,348
Receivables, net of allowances	577,169	491,640
Inventories	260,272	241,741
Prepaid expenses and other assets	39,384	36,249
Deferred income tax assets	6,317	5,959
Assets held-for-sale	1,866,710	1,877,523
Total current assets	2,850,919	2,744,691
Investments	88,246	88,881
Actively marketed property	151,086	74,814
Property, plant and equipment, net	631,429	688,890
Goodwill	260,006	273,906
Intangible assets, net	260,362	261,315
Other assets, net	93,010	97,274
Total assets	4,335,058	4,229,771
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	332,326	313,400
Deposit on sale of Dole Asia	200,000
Accrued liabilities	573,970	535,364
Liabilities held-for-sale	461,397	448,924
Current portion of long-term debt, net	161,647	161,750
Notes payable	13,800	19,762
Total current liabilities	1,743,140	1,479,200
Long-term debt, net	1,464,068	1,512,646
Deferred income tax liabilities	131,443	128,927
Other long-term liabilities	352,111	396,472
Equity attributable to shareholders of Dole Food Company, Inc.	616,392	686,135
Equity attributable to noncontrolling interests	27,904	26,391
Total equity	644,296	712,526	898,426	818,421
Total liabilities and equity	4,335,058	4,229,771
Dole Food Company, Inc.
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	9,729	13,230	12,328	13,558
Receivables, net of allowances	125,055	94,401
Inventories	1,926	2,260
Prepaid expenses and other assets	6,652	6,011
Deferred income tax assets		10,133
Assets held-for-sale	569,855	490,300
Total current assets	713,217	616,335
Investments	2,447,903	2,522,676
Actively marketed property	147,565	74,814
Property, plant and equipment, net	74,415	134,897
Intangible assets, net	229,642	229,642
Other assets, net	40,865	41,121
Total assets	3,653,607	3,619,485
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	5,630	6,151
Deposit on sale of Dole Asia	200,000
Accrued liabilities	292,775	265,030
Liabilities held-for-sale	3,697	20,291
Current portion of long-term debt, net	153,879	153,827
Total current liabilities	655,981	445,299
Intercompany payables (receivables)	1,243,091	1,281,183
Long-term debt, net	867,258	911,003
Deferred income tax liabilities	3,975	22,001
Other long-term liabilities	266,910	273,864
Equity attributable to shareholders of Dole Food Company, Inc.	616,392	686,135
Total equity	616,392	686,135
Total liabilities and equity	3,653,607	3,619,485
Guarantor
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	5,003	3,587	1,681	1,813
Receivables, net of allowances	123,872	81,427
Inventories	126,441	116,383
Prepaid expenses and other assets	11,850	9,377
Assets held-for-sale	426,631	449,105
Total current assets	693,797	659,879
Investments	1,695,508	1,774,659
Actively marketed property	136
Property, plant and equipment, net	207,782	189,263
Goodwill	77,129	77,129
Intangible assets, net	20,936	(8,721)
Other assets, net	13,603	13,003
Total assets	2,708,891	2,705,212
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	120,138	144,103
Accrued liabilities	131,363	96,995
Liabilities held-for-sale	67,530	65,403
Current portion of long-term debt, net	404
Total current liabilities	319,435	306,501
Intercompany payables (receivables)	(174,907)	(221,373)
Long-term debt, net	3,652	2,013
Deferred income tax liabilities	78,590	60,551
Other long-term liabilities	22,293	23,494
Equity attributable to shareholders of Dole Food Company, Inc.	2,459,828	2,534,026
Total equity	2,459,828	2,534,026
Total liabilities and equity	2,708,891	2,705,212
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	86,335	74,762	91,727	106,977
Receivables, net of allowances	328,242	315,812
Inventories	131,905	123,098
Prepaid expenses and other assets	20,882	20,861
Deferred income tax assets	6,317	928
Assets held-for-sale	870,224	938,118
Total current assets	1,443,905	1,473,579
Investments	88,246	89,172
Actively marketed property	3,385
Property, plant and equipment, net	349,232	364,730
Goodwill	182,877	196,777
Intangible assets, net	9,784	40,394
Other assets, net	38,542	36,570
Total assets	215,971	2,201,222
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	206,558	159,444
Accrued liabilities	149,832	173,114
Liabilities held-for-sale	390,170	372,439
Current portion of long-term debt, net	7,364	7,923
Notes payable	13,800	19,762
Total current liabilities	767,724	732,682
Intercompany payables (receivables)	(1,068,184)	(1,084,002)
Long-term debt, net	593,158	599,630
Deferred income tax liabilities	48,878	46,375
Other long-term liabilities	62,908	99,114
Equity attributable to shareholders of Dole Food Company, Inc.	1,683,583	1,781,032
Equity attributable to noncontrolling interests	27,904	26,391
Total equity	1,711,487	1,807,423
Total liabilities and equity	2,115,971	2,201,222
Eliminations
ASSETS
Deferred income tax assets		(5,102)
Total current assets		(5,102)
Investments	4,143,411	(4,297,626)
Other assets, net		6,580
Total assets	(4,143,411)	(4,296,148)
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable		3,702
Accrued liabilities		225
Liabilities held-for-sale		(9,209)
Total current liabilities		(5,282)
Intercompany payables (receivables)		24,192
Equity attributable to shareholders of Dole Food Company, Inc.	(4,143,411)	(4,315,058)
Total equity	(4,143,411)	(4,315,058)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (4,143,411)	$ (4,296,148)