Income Taxes (Details Textual) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2012	Apr. 30, 2011	Apr. 30, 2010
Income Taxes (Textual) [Abstract]
Valuation allowance for other deferred tax assets	$ 137
Valuation allowance decrease	252	146	5,556
Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries on which deferred income taxes not provided	200,100
Time period over which it is reasonably possible that the Company could increase or decrease its unrecognized tax benefits	next 12 months
Amount unrecognized tax benefit could decrease in next 12 months	636
Company's unrecognized tax benefits	23,977	20,261	15,322
Unrecognized tax benefits that would affect the effective tax rate	16,410	13,939
Tax-related net interest and penalties	1,704	1,792
Tax-related net interest and penalties credited to earnings	$ (88)	$ 497	$ 594

Name:	sjm_IncomeTaxesTextualAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	sjm_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The amount of the unrecognized tax benefit of a position taken for which it is reasonably possible that the total estimated amount thereof will significantly increase or decrease within twelve months of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sjm_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitIsReasonablyPossibleAmountOfUnrecordedBenefit
Namespace Prefix:	sjm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Tax related net interest and penalties credited to earnings.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sjm_TaxRelatedNetInterestAndPenaltiesCreditedToEarnings
Namespace Prefix:	sjm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Time period over which it is reasonably possible that the Company could increase or decrease its unrecognized tax benefits.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sjm_TimePeriodOverWhichItIsReasonablyPossibleThatCompanyCouldIncreaseOrDecreaseItsUnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	sjm_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries of which the Company has asserted will be indefinitely reinvested, and therefore deferred income taxes have not been provided.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sjm_UndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiariesOnWhichDeferredIncomeTaxesNotProvided
Namespace Prefix:	sjm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Valuation allowance for other deferred tax assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sjm_ValuationAllowanceForOtherDeferredTaxAssets
Namespace Prefix:	sjm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits pertaining to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Interpretation (FIN)

-Number 48

-Paragraph 21

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Unrecognized Tax Benefit

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6527854

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15A

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the total of accruals as of the date of the statement of financial position for interest recognized for an underpayment of income taxes computed by applying the applicable statutory rate of interest to the difference between a tax position recognized for financial reporting purposes and the amount previously taken or expected to be taken in a tax return of the entity and the amount of statutory penalties for a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed by the entity, in its tax return, that does not meet the minimum statutory threshold to avoid payment of penalties.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Interpretation (FIN)

-Number 48

-Paragraph 21

-Subparagraph c

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Interpretation (FIN)

-Number 48

-Paragraph 15, 16

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32718-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Interpretation (FIN)

-Number 48

-Paragraph 21

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15A

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of the change in the period in the valuation allowance for a specified deferred tax asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 109

-Paragraph 26

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 109

-Paragraph 43

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 20

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907571&loc=d3e32123-109318

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration