UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549


                                    FORM 10-Q


 / x /          Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                  For the quarterly period ended March 31, 1997

                                       or

 /   /          Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                For the transition period from _______ to _______


                         Commission File No. 33-19133-A


                PARKER & PARSLEY PRODUCING PROPERTIES 88-A, L.P.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


               Delaware                                     75-2225758
    (State or other jurisdiction of                      (I.R.S. Employer
    incorporation or organization)                    Identification Number)

303 West Wall, Suite 101, Midland, Texas                       79701
(Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip code)

       Registrant's Telephone Number, including area code : (915) 683-4768

                                 Not applicable
              (Former name, former address and former fiscal year,
                         if changed since last report)

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the  preceding 12 months (or for such  shorter  period that the  Registrant  was
required  to file  such  reports),  and  (2) has  been  subject  to such  filing
requirements for the past 90 days.

                                Yes / x / No / /

                               Page 1 of 10 pages.

                             -There are no exhibits-


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                PARKER & PARSLEY PRODUCING PROPERTIES 88-A, L.P.

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                        Page
                          Part I. Financial Information

Item 1.    Financial Statements

           Balance Sheets as of March 31, 1997 and
             December 31, 1996........................................    3

           Statements of Operations for the three months
             ended March 31, 1997 and 1996............................    4

           Statement of Partners' Capital for the three months
             ended March 31, 1997.....................................    5

           Statements of Cash Flows for the three months
             ended March 31, 1997 and 1996............................    6

           Notes to Financial Statements..............................    7

Item 2.    Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
             Condition and Results of Operations......................    7


                           Part II. Other Information

Item 6.    Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K...........................    9

           27.    Financial Data Schedule

           Signatures.................................................   10


                                        2

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                PARKER & PARSLEY PRODUCING PROPERTIES 88-A, L.P.
                        (A Delaware Limited Partnership)

                          Part I. Financial Information

Item 1.    Financial Statements

                                 BALANCE SHEETS



                                                    March 31,     December 31,
                                                      1997            1996
                                                  -----------     ------------
                                                   (Unaudited)
                 ASSETS

Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents, including interest
     bearing deposits of $444,641 at March 31
     and $430,432 at December 31                  $   444,709      $   430,500
  Accounts receivable - affiliate                     116,723          150,093
                                                   ----------       ----------
        Total current assets                          561,432          580,593
                                                   ----------       ----------
Oil and gas properties - at cost, based on the
  successful efforts accounting method              4,845,222        4,842,343
Accumulated depletion                              (2,972,358)      (2,931,081)
                                                   ----------       ----------
        Net oil and gas properties                  1,872,864        1,911,262
                                                   ----------       ----------
                                                  $ 2,434,296      $ 2,491,855
                                                   ==========       ==========
            PARTNERS' CAPITAL

Partners' capital:
  Managing general partner                        $     23,864     $    24,280
  Limited partners (11,222 interests)                2,410,432       2,467,575
                                                   -----------      ----------
                                                  $  2,434,296     $ 2,491,855
                                                   ===========      ==========




  The financial information included as of March 31, 1997 has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        3

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                PARKER & PARSLEY PRODUCING PROPERTIES 88-A, L.P.
                        (A Delaware Limited Partnership)

                            STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                   (Unaudited)



                                                       Three months ended
                                                            March 31,
                                                    -------------------------
                                                       1997           1996
                                                    ----------     ----------
Revenues:
  Oil and gas                                       $  241,031     $  203,497
  Interest                                               4,421          4,595
                                                     ---------      ---------
                                                       245,452        208,092
                                                     ---------      ---------
Costs and expenses:
  Oil and gas production                                87,484         82,391
  General and administrative                             7,216          6,105
  Depletion                                             41,277         38,941
                                                     ---------      ---------
                                                       135,977        127,437
                                                     ---------      ---------
Net income                                          $  109,475     $   80,655
                                                     =========      =========
Allocation of net income:
  Managing general partner                          $    1,095     $      806
                                                     =========      =========
  Limited partners                                  $  108,380     $   79,849
                                                     =========      =========
Net income per limited partnership interest         $     9.66     $     7.12
                                                     =========      =========
Distributions per limited partnership interest      $    14.75     $     9.50
                                                     =========      =========



         The financial information included herein has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        4

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                PARKER & PARSLEY PRODUCING PROPERTIES 88-A, L.P.
                        (A Delaware Limited Partnership)

                         STATEMENT OF PARTNERS' CAPITAL
                                   (Unaudited)




                                      Managing
                                      general       Limited
                                      partner       partners        Total
                                     ---------     ----------     ----------


Balance at January 1, 1997           $  24,280     $2,467,575     $2,491,855

    Distributions                       (1,511)      (165,523)      (167,034)

    Net income                           1,095        108,380        109,475
                                      --------      ---------      ---------
Balance at March 31, 1997            $  23,864     $2,410,432     $2,434,296
                                      ========      =========      =========






         The financial information included herein has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        5

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                PARKER & PARSLEY PRODUCING PROPERTIES 88-A, L.P.
                        (A Delaware Limited Partnership)

                            STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                   (Unaudited)



                                                          Three months ended
                                                               March 31,
                                                       ------------------------
                                                          1997          1996
                                                       ----------    ----------
Cash flows from operating activities:
  Net income                                           $  109,475    $   80,655
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
    cash provided by operating activities:
      Depletion                                            41,277        38,941
  Changes in assets:
      (Increase) decrease in accounts receivable           33,370       (24,460)
                                                        ---------     ---------
        Net cash provided by operating activities         184,122        95,136
                                                        ---------     ---------
Cash flows from investing activities:
  Additions to oil and gas properties                      (2,879)          -

Cash flows from financing activities:
  Cash distributions to partners                         (167,034)     (107,351)
                                                        ----------    ---------
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents       14,209       (12,215)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period          430,500       444,066
                                                        ---------     ---------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period             $  444,709    $  431,851
                                                        =========     =========







         The financial information included herein has been prepared by
          management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                       6

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                PARKER & PARSLEY PRODUCING PROPERTIES 88-A, L.P.
                        (A Delaware Limited Partnership)

                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                 March 31, 1997
                                   (Unaudited)


Note 1.     Organization and nature of operations

Parker & Parsley  Producing  Properties  88-A,  L.P.  (the  "Partnership")  is a
limited partnership organized in 1988 under the laws of the State of Delaware.

The Partnership  engages primarily in oil and gas production in Texas and is not
involved in any industry segment other than oil and gas.

Note 2.     Basis of presentation

In the opinion of management, the unaudited financial statements as of March 31,
1997 of the Partnership  include all adjustments and accruals consisting only of
normal recurring accrual adjustments which are necessary for a fair presentation
of the results for the interim  period.  However,  these interim results are not
necessarily indicative of results for a full year.

The  financial  statements  should  be read in  conjunction  with the  financial
statements and the notes thereto contained in the  Partnership's  Report on Form
10-K for the year ended  December 31,  1996,  as filed with the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission,  a copy of which is  available  upon request by writing to
Steven L. Beal, Senior Vice President,  303 West Wall, Suite 101, Midland, Texas
79701.

Item 2.     Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
              and Results of Operations(1)

Results of Operations

Revenues:

The Partnership's  oil and gas revenues  increased to $241,031 from $203,497 for
the three  months  ended March 31, 1997 and 1996,  respectively,  an increase of
18%. The increase in revenues was attributable to higher average prices received
per  barrel  of oil and mcf of gas  and a  slight  increase  in  barrels  of oil
produced and sold, offset by a 10% decrease in mcf of gas produced and sold. For
the three months ended March 31, 1997,  7,704  barrels of oil were sold compared
to 7,633 for the same period in 1996,  an increase of 71 barrels.  For the three
months ended March 31, 1997,  25,117 mcf of gas were sold compared to 27,921 for
the same  period in 1996,  a decrease of 2,804 mcf.  The  decrease in mcf of gas
produced  and sold  was  primarily  due to the  decline  characteristics  of the
Partnership's  oil and gas  properties.  The increase in barrels of oil produced
and sold was the result of  operational  changes on  several  wells.  Management

                                        7

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expects a certain  amount of  decline in  production to  continue  in the future
until the Partnership's economically recoverable reserves are fully depleted.

The average  price  received per barrel of oil  increased  $2.88,  or 15%,  from
$18.71 for the three  months  ended March 31, 1996 to $21.59 for the same period
in 1997,  while the average  price  received per mcf of gas  increased  37% from
$2.17  during the three months ended March 31, 1996 to $2.97 for the same period
in 1997.  The market  price for oil and gas has been  extremely  volatile in the
past decade,  and management  expects a certain amount of volatility to continue
in the foreseeable future. The Partnership may therefore sell its future oil and
gas production at average  prices lower or higher than that received  during the
three months ended March 31, 1997.

Costs and Expenses:

Total costs and expenses  increased to $135,977 for the three months ended March
31, 1997 as compared  to  $127,437  for the same period in 1996,  an increase of
$8,540, or 7%. This increase was due to increases in production  costs,  general
and administrative expenses ("G&A") and depletion.

Production  costs were  $87,484  for the three  months  ended March 31, 1997 and
$82,391 for the same period in 1996 resulting in a $5,093 increase,  or 6%. This
increase was the result of an increase in well repair and maintenance  costs and
higher production taxes.

G&A's  components are independent  accounting and engineering  fees and managing
general  partner  personnel  and  operating  costs.   During  this  period,  G&A
increased,  in  aggregate,  18% from $6,105 for the three months ended March 31,
1996 to $7,216 for the same period in 1997. The Partnership agreement limits G&A
to 3% of gross oil and gas revenues.

Depletion  was $41,277  for the three  months  ended March 31, 1997  compared to
$38,941 for the same period in 1996.  This  represented an increase in depletion
of $2,366, or 6%.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

Net cash provided by operating activities increased $88,986 for the three months
ended March 31, 1997 from the same period in 1996.  This  increase was due to an
increase in oil and gas sales receipts and a decrease in production costs paid.

Net Cash Used in Investing Activities

The Partnership's investing activities for the three months ended March 31, 1997
were related to the addition of oil and gas equipment on active properties.

Net Cash Used in Financing Activities

Cash  was  sufficient  for the  three  months  ended  March  31,  1997 to  cover
distributions  to the partners of $167,034 of which $165,523 was  distributed to
the limited partners and  $1,511 to the managing general partner.   For the same

                                        8

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period  ended March 31,  1996,  cash was  sufficient  for  distributions  to the
partners of $107,351 of which $106,610 was  distributed to the limited  partners
and $741 to the managing general partner.

It is expected  that future net cash  provided by operating  activities  will be
sufficient for any capital expenditures and any distributions. As the production
from the properties declines, distributions are also expected to decrease.

---------------

(1)    "Item 2. Management's  Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
       Results of Operations"  contains forward looking  statements that involve
       risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that the
       actual  events and  results  will not be  materially  different  than the
       anticipated results described in the forward looking statements.



                           Part II. Other Information


Item 6.     Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

(a)    Exhibits

       27.    Financial Data Schedule

(b)    Reports on Form 8-K - none


                                        9

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                PARKER & PARSLEY PRODUCING PROPERTIES 88-A, L.P.
                        (A Delaware Limited Partnership)



                               S I G N A T U R E S



       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                     PARKER & PARSLEY PRODUCING
                                     PROPERTIES 88-A, L.P.

                               By:   Parker & Parsley Development L.P.,
                                      Managing General Partner

                                     By:   Parker & Parsley Petroleum USA, Inc.
                                           ("PPUSA"), General Partner




Dated:  May 13, 1997           By:   /s/ Steven L. Beal
                                     ------------------
                                     Steven L. Beal, Senior Vice President
                                      and Chief Financial Officer of PPUSA



                                       10

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