Significant Accounting Policies Other Income (Expense) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2010
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Purchases of property, plant and equipment	$ 43,846	$ 69,525	$ 15,785
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	6,212	6,649	8,575
Losses on sale of receivables	(5,133)	(2,395)	(2,950)
Other income (expense)	15,725	37,442	(17,260)
Malawi Other Property Sales [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	2,400	1,975	1,677
Turkey Storage And Other Property Sales [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0	2,567
Assignment Of Tobacco Suppliers And Sale Of Related Assets [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	37,765	0
Number of tobacco suppliers		9,000
Acquisition Of Real Property Located In Venencio Aires, Brazil [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Gain on exchange	13,667
Purchases of property, plant and equipment	9,403
Fair value of assets acquired	26,845
Basis of assets in exchange	13,178
Other Sales Of Assets And Expenses [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	2,491	97	896
FCPA Loss [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0	(19,450)
Exchange of Productive Assets [Member] | Acquisition Of Real Property Located In Venencio Aires, Brazil [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Gain on exchange	$ 15,967	$ 0	$ 0