Disclosures about reportable segments (Schedule of Operations Data by Segment) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	$ 21,356		$ 26,047
Total operating expenses	17,570		20,533
Gross profit	3,786		5,514
Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	7,393		8,408
Total operating expenses	5,860		5,157
Gross profit	1,533		3,251
Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	7,270		12,339
Total operating expenses	7,515		12,028
Gross profit	(245)		311
Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	7,990		6,341
Total operating expenses	5,874		4,760
Gross profit	2,116		1,581
Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	518		656
Total operating expenses	197		207
Gross profit	321		449
Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	166		136
Total operating expenses	105		214
Gross profit	61		(78)
Less: intersegment expenses eliminated [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	(1,981)		(1,833)
Total operating expenses	(1,981)		(1,833)
Gross profit
Alico Fruit Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	5,289		10,506
Total operating expenses	5,534		10,195
Gross profit	(245)		311
Alico Fruit Segment [Member] | Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Alico Fruit Segment [Member] | Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	7,270		12,339
Total operating expenses	7,515		12,028
Gross profit	(245)		311
Alico Fruit Segment [Member] | Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Alico Fruit Segment [Member] | Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Alico Fruit Segment [Member] | Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Alico Fruit Segment [Member] | Less: intersegment expenses eliminated [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	(1,981)		(1,833)
Total operating expenses	(1,981)		(1,833)
Gross profit
Citrus Groves Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	7,393		8,408
Total operating expenses	5,860		5,157
Gross profit	1,533		3,251
Citrus Groves Segment [Member] | Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	7,393		8,408
Total operating expenses	5,860		5,157
Gross profit	1,533		3,251
Citrus Groves Segment [Member] | Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Citrus Groves Segment [Member] | Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Citrus Groves Segment [Member] | Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Citrus Groves Segment [Member] | Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Citrus Groves Segment [Member] | Less: intersegment expenses eliminated [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Sugarcane Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	7,807		6,087
Total operating expenses	5,757		4,639
Gross profit	2,050		1,448
Sugarcane Segment [Member] | Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Sugarcane Segment [Member] | Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Sugarcane Segment [Member] | Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	7,807		6,087
Total operating expenses	5,757		4,639
Gross profit	2,050		1,448
Sugarcane Segment [Member] | Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Sugarcane Segment [Member] | Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Sugarcane Segment [Member] | Less: intersegment expenses eliminated [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Cattle Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	177		222
Total operating expenses	110		150
Gross profit	67		72
Cattle Segment [Member] | Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Cattle Segment [Member] | Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Cattle Segment [Member] | Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Cattle Segment [Member] | Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	177		222
Total operating expenses	110		150
Gross profit	67		72
Cattle Segment [Member] | Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Cattle Segment [Member] | Less: intersegment expenses eliminated [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Land leasing and rentals Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	547		631
Total operating expenses	276		254
Gross profit	271		377
Land leasing and rentals Segment [Member] | Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Land leasing and rentals Segment [Member] | Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Land leasing and rentals Segment [Member] | Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	183		254
Total operating expenses	117		121
Gross profit	66		133
Land leasing and rentals Segment [Member] | Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	244		275
Total operating expenses	87		57
Gross profit	157		218
Land leasing and rentals Segment [Member] | Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	120		102
Total operating expenses	72		76
Gross profit	48		26
Land leasing and rentals Segment [Member] | Less: intersegment expenses eliminated [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Other operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	143		193
Total operating expenses	33	[1]	138	[1]
Gross profit	110	[1]	55	[1]
Other operations [Member] | Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses		[1]		[1]
Gross profit		[1]		[1]
Other operations [Member] | Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses		[1]		[1]
Gross profit		[1]		[1]
Other operations [Member] | Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses		[1]		[1]
Gross profit		[1]		[1]
Other operations [Member] | Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	97		159
Total operating expenses		[1]		[1]
Gross profit	97	[1]	159	[1]
Other operations [Member] | Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	46		34
Total operating expenses	33	[1]	138	[1]
Gross profit	13	[1]	(104)	[1]
Other operations [Member] | Less: intersegment expenses eliminated [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses		[1]		[1]
Gross profit		[1]		[1]

[1] Other operations include the former real estate segment.