Disclosures about reportable segments (Schedule of Operations Data by Segment) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	$ 35,229		$ 40,401		$ 94,995		$ 120,545
Total operating expenses	26,164		29,892		75,130		90,284
Gross profit	9,065		10,509		19,865		30,261
Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	19,209		21,829		43,664		55,331
Total operating expenses	12,789		12,050		31,488		31,058
Gross profit	6,420		9,779		12,176		24,273
Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	10,553		16,753		27,712		47,547
Total operating expenses	10,095		16,496		26,886		46,223
Gross profit	458		257		826		1,324
Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	4,760		897		21,679		15,060
Total operating expenses	3,028		640		16,044		11,417
Gross profit	1,732		257		5,635		3,643
Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	409		718		1,265		2,125
Total operating expenses	120		317		380		774
Gross profit	289		401		885		1,351
Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	298		204		675		482
Total operating expenses	132		389		332		812
Gross profit	166		(185)		343		(330)
Alico Fruit Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	10,553		16,753		27,712		47,547
Total operating expenses	10,095		16,496		26,886		46,223
Gross profit	458		257		826		1,324
Citrus Groves Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	19,209		21,829		43,664		55,331
Total operating expenses	12,789		12,050		31,488		31,058
Gross profit	6,420		9,779		12,176		24,273
Sugarcane Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	4,549		652		21,020		14,311
Total operating expenses	2,955		539		15,789		11,090
Gross profit	1,594		113		5,231		3,221
Cattle Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	105		378		293		978
Total operating expenses	61		240		179		558
Gross profit	44		138		114		420
Land Leasing and Rentals Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	555		672		1,723		1,928
Total operating expenses	201		252		669		768
Gross profit	354		420		1,054		1,160
Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	258		117		583		450
Total operating expenses	63	[1]	315	[1]	119	[1]	587	[1]
Gross profit	195	[1]	(198)	[1]	464	[1]	(137)	[1]
Operating Segments [Member] | Alico Fruit Segment [Member] | Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Alico Fruit Segment [Member] | Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	10,553		16,753		27,712		47,547
Total operating expenses	10,095		16,496		26,886		46,223
Gross profit	458		257		826		1,324
Operating Segments [Member] | Alico Fruit Segment [Member] | Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Alico Fruit Segment [Member] | Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Alico Fruit Segment [Member] | Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Citrus Groves Segment [Member] | Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	19,209		21,829		43,664		55,331
Total operating expenses	12,789		12,050		31,488		31,058
Gross profit	6,420		9,779		12,176		24,273
Operating Segments [Member] | Citrus Groves Segment [Member] | Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Citrus Groves Segment [Member] | Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Citrus Groves Segment [Member] | Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Citrus Groves Segment [Member] | Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Sugarcane Segment [Member] | Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Sugarcane Segment [Member] | Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Sugarcane Segment [Member] | Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	4,549		652		21,020		14,311
Total operating expenses	2,955		539		15,789		11,090
Gross profit	1,594		113		5,231		3,221
Operating Segments [Member] | Sugarcane Segment [Member] | Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Sugarcane Segment [Member] | Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Cattle Segment [Member] | Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Cattle Segment [Member] | Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Cattle Segment [Member] | Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Cattle Segment [Member] | Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	105		378		293		978
Total operating expenses	61		240		179		558
Gross profit	44		138		114		420
Operating Segments [Member] | Cattle Segment [Member] | Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | Land Leasing and Rentals Segment [Member] | Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses
Gross profit
Operating Segments [Member] | 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
Operating Segments [Member] | Land Leasing and Rentals Segment [Member] | Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	211		245		659		749
Total operating expenses	73		101		255		327
Gross profit	138		144		404		422
Operating Segments [Member] | Land Leasing and Rentals Segment [Member] | Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	238		271		728		813
Total operating expenses	56		76		195		215
Gross profit	182		195		533		598
Operating Segments [Member] | Land Leasing and Rentals Segment [Member] | Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	106		156		336		366
Total operating expenses	72		75		219		226
Gross profit	34		81		117		140
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Operations [Member] | Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses		[1]		[1]		[1]		[1]
Gross profit		[1]		[1]		[1]		[1]
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Operations [Member] | Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses		[1]		[1]		[1]		[1]
Gross profit		[1]		[1]		[1]		[1]
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Operations [Member] | Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Total operating expenses		[1]		[1]		[1]		[1]
Gross profit		[1]		[1]		[1]		[1]
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Operations [Member] | Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	66		69		244		334
Total operating expenses	3	[1]	1	[1]	6	[1]	1	[1]
Gross profit	63	[1]	68	[1]	238	[1]	333	[1]
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Operations [Member] | Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	192		48		339		116
Total operating expenses	60	[1]	314	[1]	113	[1]	586	[1]
Gross profit	132	[1]	(266)	[1]	226	[1]	(470)	[1]
Operating Segments [Member] | Intersegment Revenues - Alico Fruit [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	4,674		10,919		4,907		11,820
Operating Segments [Member] | Intersegment Revenues - Alico Fruit [Member] | Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Operating Segments [Member] | Intersegment Revenues - Alico Fruit [Member] | Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	4,674		4,907		10,919		11,820
Operating Segments [Member] | Intersegment Revenues - Alico Fruit [Member] | Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Operating Segments [Member] | Intersegment Revenues - Alico Fruit [Member] | Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Operating Segments [Member] | Intersegment Revenues - Alico Fruit [Member] | Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Intra-Company Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	(4,674)		(4,907)		(10,919)		(11,820)
Intra-Company Eliminations [Member] | Citrus Groves [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Intra-Company Eliminations [Member] | Agricultural Supply Chain Management [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue	(4,674)		(4,907)		(10,919)		(11,820)
Intra-Company Eliminations [Member] | Improved Farmland [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Intra-Company Eliminations [Member] | Ranch and Conservation [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue
Intra-Company Eliminations [Member] | Other Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total operating revenue

[1] Other Operations includes the former Real Estate segment as well as other operations.