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Earnings Per Share (Details Textual) (USD $)
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
 9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2012
Jul. 31, 2011
Apr. 30, 2012
Jul. 31, 2012
Class A common stock [Member]
Jul. 31, 2012
Class A common stock [Member]
Apr. 30, 2012
Class A common stock [Member]
Jul. 31, 2012
Class B common stock [Member]
Jul. 31, 2012
Class B common stock [Member]
Apr. 30, 2012
Class B common stock [Member]
Earnings Per Share (Textual) [Abstract]                  
Calculation of EPS         (i) multiply 40 percent times the average Class A shares outstanding, then divide that amount by the product of 40 percent of the average Class A shares outstanding plus 60 percent of the average Class B shares outstanding to get a percentage, (ii) divide undistributed net income attributable to Greif, Inc. by the average Class A shares outstanding, then (iii) multiply item (i) by item (ii), and finally (iv) add item (iii) to the Class A cash dividend per share     (i) multiply 60 percent times the average Class B shares outstanding, then divide that amount by the product of 40 percent of the average Class A shares outstanding plus 60 percent of the average Class B shares outstanding to get a percentage, (ii) divide undistributed net income attributable to Greif, Inc. by the average Class B shares outstanding,then (iii) multiply item (i) by item (ii), and finally (iv) add item (iii) to the Class B cash dividend per share  
Numerator multiply percentage of average Class A shares outstanding for calculation of Class A EPS         40.00%        
Denominator multiply percentage of average Class A shares outstanding for calculation of EPS         40.00%     40.00%  
Additional denominator multiply percentage of average Class B shares outstanding for calculation of EPS         60.00%     60.00%  
Numerator multiply percentage of average Class B shares outstanding for calculation of Class B EPS               60.00%  
Cumulative dividend per year         $ 0.01        
Non-cumulative dividend per year               $ 0.005  
Repurchase of common stock     3,184,272 0 0 1,425,452 0 1,000 1,758,820
Proportional distribution of cumulative dividend per year         $ 0.01        
Proportional distribution of non cumulative dividend per year               $ 0.015  
Earnings Per Share (Additional Textual) [Abstract]                  
Value of shares authorized to be purchased up to four million shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock or any combination of the foregoing                
Number of shares authorized to be purchased 4,000,000                
Total cost of the shares repurchased $ 15.1                
Antidilutive stock options