Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016		Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016		Sep. 30, 2015
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Common shares, owned by subsidiary (in shares)	785		785	785		785
Net loss attributable to Alliance One International, Inc.	$ (15,657)		$ (21,065)	$ (47,163)		$ (47,015)
Weighted average number of shares outstanding (in shares)	8,923		8,883	8,914		8,873
BASIC LOSS PER SHARE (usd per share)	$ (1.75)		$ (2.37)	$ (5.29)		$ (5.30)
Plus: Restricted shares issued and shares applicable to stock options and restricted stock units, net of shares assumed to be purchased from proceeds at average market price (in shares)	0	[1]	0	0	[1]	0	[1]
Adjusted weighted average number of common shares outstanding (in shares)	8,923		8,883	8,914		8,873
DILUTED LOSS PER SHARE (usd per share)	$ (1.75)		$ (2.37)	$ (5.29)		$ (5.30)
Stock Options
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share, amount (in shares)				461		646
Weighted average exercise price, antidilutive shares (usd per share)				$ 61.09		$ 60.49

[1] All outstanding restricted shares and shares applicable to stock options and restricted stock units are excluded because their inclusion would have an antidilutive effect on the loss per share.