Litigation (Detail) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended																			0 Months Ended
	Sep. 25, 2003 USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2002 USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2001 USD ($)	Jan. 02, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 27, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 27, 2013 EUR (€)	Oct. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Jun. 04, 2013 USD ($)	Jun. 04, 2013 EUR (€)	Mar. 14, 2013 USD ($)	Mar. 14, 2013 EUR (€)	Mar. 25, 2010 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2009 USD ($)	Dec. 27, 2013 Other Noncurrent Liabilities [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 27, 2013 Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses Current [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 25, 2003 Minimum [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 25, 2003 Maximum [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 27, 2013 KuniaWellSite [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 27, 2013 Weichert [Member]	Jun. 27, 2008 Dismissed Cases [Member] Juan Jose Abrego Et Al V Dole Food Company Et Al [Member] Plaintiffs	Jun. 01, 2012 DBCP Litigation [Member] claims subsidiaries Plaintiffs	Jan. 16, 2013 DBCP Litigation [Member] Subsequent Event [Member] Plaintiffs	Jan. 16, 2013 DBCP Litigation [Member] Subsequent Event [Member] Ansered Claims [Member] Plaintiffs	Jul. 13, 2011 DBCP Litigation [Member] Multiple complaints filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana [Member]	Jul. 13, 2011 DBCP Litigation [Member] Panamanian Residents [Member] Plaintiffs	Jul. 13, 2011 DBCP Litigation [Member] Costa Rican Residents [Member] Plaintiffs	Jan. 02, 2009 DBCP Litigation [Member] Costa Rican Residents [Member] Plaintiffs	Oct. 14, 2004 DBCP Litigation [Member] Costa Rican Residents [Member] Plaintiffs	Jul. 13, 2011 DBCP Litigation [Member] Equadorian Residents [Member] Plaintiffs	Feb. 06, 2012 DBCP Litigation [Member] Philippines Residents [Member] Plaintiffs	Aug. 31, 2011 DBCP Litigation [Member] Philippines Residents [Member] Plaintiffs	Feb. 28, 2011 DBCP Litigation [Member] Philippines Residents [Member] subsidiaries
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of subsidiaries involved in litigation																					1			1								2
DBCP Litigation, number of plaintiffs																				1,329	3,000	2,800	2,400		121	72	461	2,600	68	500	2,500
Actions filed																					8
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by parent																			80.00%
European Union Antitrust Investigation, imposed fine					$ 20.2	€ 14.7		$ 13.5	€ 9.8	$ 12.1	€ 8.8
Loss Contingency, Range of Possible Loss, Minimum								1.4	1.0
Breach of Contract Litigation, jury verdict in favor of the plaintiff													10
Breach of Contract Litigation, final court judgment amount							9.5					15.7
Unpaid Wages Class Action Litigation, Estimated Litigation Liability				2.2
Kunia Well Site cleanup operation, charge for estimated expected future cleanup cost		7.0	15.0
Kunia Well Site cleanup operation, estimated remediation costs associated with the cleanup		26.1	19.1											15.4	1.0	12.9	25.4
Kunia Well Site cleanup operation, accrual expected to be paid in the next 12 months					1.0
Kunia Well Site cleanup operation, accrual expected to be paid in the second year					1.0
Kunia Well Site cleanup operation, accrual expected to be paid in the third year					1.0													1.0
Kunia Well Site cleanup operation, accrual expected to be paid in the fourth year					1.0
Kunia Well Site cleanup operation, undiscounted estimated remediation costs associated with the cleanup	$ 16.7															$ 14.8	$ 28.7
Kunia Well Site cleanup operation, discount rate of accrual for the expected future clean-up costs					3.00%	3.00%
Time frame of disbursements	P10Y